Guangzhou Is a Lucky Place — We Can’t Wait to Come Back Next Year
At 7:00 on December 21, all eyes were on Tianhe Sports Center as the GAC Toyota 2025 Guangzhou Marathon kicked off amid the Lingnan morning glow. A total of 26,000 runners charged forward along the iconic “One River, Two Banks” race course.
In the end, Afework Mesfin from Ethiopia claimed the men’s championship with a time of 2 hours 12 minutes and 23 seconds. Felix Kipruto from Kenya and Tashi Tsering from China took the second and third places respectively. In the women’s category, Ethiopian runners swept the top three spots. Joyce Chepkemoi won the title with a time of 2 hours 22 minutes and 40 seconds, breaking the race record.
After the competition, the award-winning runners were full of praise for the “One River, Two Banks” course. They noted that the course design was rational and the spectators were friendly and enthusiastic, which helped them achieve excellent results.
Accurate Weather Forecast Enables More Refined Event Support
In late December, Guangzhou was blooming with flowers and warm as spring, but this also posed a challenge for the marathon, as the high temperatures brought a lot of uncertainties.
Relying on accurate weather forecasts, the Guangzhou Marathon Organizing Committee ensured the runners’ safety with scientific decision-making and humanized services:
- The race was advanced to 7:00 a.m. for a start.
- Shaded sections were marked on the course map for the first time, with advance reminders provided to the runners.
- Additional sprinkler systems and mist cannons were deployed, along with more cooling sponges and ice supplies, fully supporting the athletes to finish the race safely and comfortably.
- WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) warning systems were installed at multiple key sections to assess the thermal load of the competition environment on athletes, providing more precise guidance on their racing status.
- Real-time meteorological data was released to help athletes adjust their pacing and replenishment strategies scientifically.
This year’s marathon retained the classic “One River, Two Banks” route while further adjusting the course to reduce turnaround sections. Over 30 music stations were set up along the way, featuring alternating performances of Cantonese golden hits, Greater Bay Area intangible cultural heritage showcases, and bands of foreign friends, creating a lively and joyful race atmosphere.
United as One in the Bay Area: Pooling Efforts from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao
With the promotional theme of “Guangzhou Marathon of the Greater Bay Area” and the slogan “Vibrant Bay Area, Running Guangzhou Marathon”, this year’s event innovatively introduced a joint referee mechanism involving officials from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, building a solid bridge for sports exchanges in the Greater Bay Area. It constructed a material system centered on “Bay Area Impressions · Guangzhou Marathon Privileges”, with four sub-themes: “City Gifts”, “Guangzhou Goodies”, “Three-City Flavors” and “Winter Solstice Warmth”. Cultural elements of the 15th National Games were fully integrated, with mascots “Xiyangyang”, “Lerongrong” and the cartoon image of “Malagao (Steamed Sponge Cake)” interacting with runners at the venue. For global runners, additional language volunteers were arranged to provide multilingual guidance services.
Wang Qingyuan, a 70-year-old runner from Shenyang, embarked on a “marathon tour” southward, completing three marathons in Fuzhou, Guangzhou and Haikou. He arrived in Guangzhou early to enjoy the beautiful scenery and delicious food, fully savoring the benefits and privileges reserved for Guangzhou Marathon runners.
Upgraded Services Fuel Guangzhou Runners to Excellent Results
Despite the slightly high temperature on race day, many runners still achieved great results. Cao Jianxin, a 72-year-old local runner from Guangzhou, said: “I ran a better time today than I did ten years ago. The supplies along the way were excellent. Especially when I ran onto the riverside section after crossing Renmin Bridge, it was exactly the runners’ ‘wall-hitting period’, but the private supply stations organized spontaneously by citizens and running groups were abundant, letting everyone feel the true meaning of ‘Eating in Guangzhou’.”
Liu Fen, an official pacemaker, stated that she had participated in the Guangzhou Marathon four times and served as a pacemaker for the first time, successfully completing her 4-hour-30-minute pacing task with ease. “I have fulfilled the role of pacemaker in 54 marathons, and I’m delighted to contribute to the Guangzhou Marathon.”
Coinciding with the Winter Solstice, authentic local delicacies such as steamed dumplings, glutinous rice balls, wife cakes, Hong Kong-style lemon tea and Portuguese egg tarts allowed runners to fully immerse themselves in the culinary charm of the Greater Bay Area. The organizing committee also presented exclusive “sub-3-hour finisher jerseys” to athletes who completed the race within 3 hours, and sent flowers to those celebrating their birthdays on race day, demonstrating the warmth of the services. After finishing the race, runners could download their Personal Best (PB) posters and finisher posters to capture the wonderful memories exclusive to the Guangzhou Marathon.
Full-Scale Support: 6,200 Volunteers on Duty
As early as 3:00 a.m. on race day, the first batch of volunteers boarded buses to Tianhe Sports Center and reported for duty at 4:00 a.m., ready to serve the runners who arrived early.
According to reports, the event recruited nearly 6,200 volunteers from 11 universities and 7 social volunteer service teams. It also deployed 62 professional official pacemakers, set up 41 fixed medical stations, equipped 36 ambulances and 50 cycling paramedics, and selected 100 emergency medical runners and 680 safety observers to safeguard the runners’ health throughout the race.
Li Wanjing, Secretary-General of Guangdong Rescue Assistance Team, said that the team has been participating in the emergency medical support work for the Guangzhou Marathon since 2014, marking its 10th consecutive year of involvement. “On December 21, 305 team members of Guangdong Rescue Assistance Team were deployed, leading 680 volunteers to carry out emergency medical support tasks, with 36 AED (Automated External Defibrillator) machines provided for protection.”
Growing Fame Ignites Enthusiasm of Guangzhou Citizens
The event invited renowned figures from the medical and sports fields to serve as promotional ambassadors for the 2025 Guangzhou Marathon, including Zhong Nanshan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and recipient of the “Medal of the Republic”; Chen Aisen, Olympic diving champion and men’s team diving champion of the 15th National Games; and Kenenisa Bekele, famous Ethiopian track and field athlete and Olympic champion in men’s 5,000m and 10,000m. The influence of these ambassadors has empowered the Guangzhou Marathon, effectively enhancing its popularity and reputation.
Green and Low-Carbon Initiatives Win Praise from Runners
The Guangzhou Marathon Organizing Committee integrated environmental protection concepts throughout the entire event process and launched a series of innovative initiatives this year, which were well-received by runners:
- It introduced the “no bag check” participation method for the first time.
- It launched the recruitment of eco-friendly runners for the first time, encouraging more people to practice green and low-carbon lifestyles.
- It called on runners to bring their own old clothes for warmth and reduce the use of raincoats, with additional old clothes recycling areas set up at the starting assembly area and along the route after the start.
- It joined hands with JD Logistics to create a carbon-neutral Guangzhou Marathon, demonstrating its firm commitment to sustainable development.
Although the 2025 Guangzhou Marathon has come to an end, the footsteps of running in the Greater Bay Area have never stopped. This event is not only a physical challenge and a cultural tour, but also a practice of collaboration and an inheritance of spirit.
“Guangzhou Marathon Is Awesome, Brilliant and Powerful!”
Zhong Nanshan, Guangzhou Marathon Promotional Ambassador: Sports Cultivate the Never-Give-Up Spirit
As the promotional ambassador of the 2025 Guangzhou Marathon, Zhong Nanshan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and recipient of the “Medal of the Republic”, attended the marathon’s starting ceremony and accepted an interview. Sports have been an integral part of Zhong Nanshan’s life and a magic weapon for him to maintain good health. He stated that sports should become an essential part of daily life, just like eating and sleeping.
Recalling his experience of participating in sports training during his middle school days, he said: “I have been inextricably linked with sports since I was a child. I loved running when I was in primary and secondary school, and I broke the Guangdong provincial record for the men’s 400m when I was in senior three.” Zhong Nanshan noted that his achievements in medicine have benefited from sports, and running has brought him great gains: “It has cultivated my never-give-up spirit and teamwork spirit.”
It is reported that at the first National Games in 1959, Zhong Nanshan represented Beijing Medical College in the men’s 400m hurdles and broke the national record with a time of 54.4 seconds in the preliminary round.
Chinese Men’s and Women’s Champions of Guangzhou Marathon Praise the Beauty of Guangzhou
This year’s Guangzhou Marathon also gathered many top domestic marathon athletes. Tashi Tsering won the first place among Chinese male athletes with a time of 2 hours 14 minutes and 6 seconds, ranking third overall. Ding Changqin claimed the first place among Chinese female athletes with a time of 2 hours 35 minutes and 40 seconds, ranking fifth overall in the women’s category.
Tashi Tsering said that Guangzhou is his “lucky place”, with a flat course and beautiful scenery that makes it very easy to achieve a Personal Best (PB). Notably, Tashi Tsering started the race alongside long-distance running legend Kenenisa Bekele. He said excitedly: “Bekele is a legend in the world of long-distance running. His passion for long-distance running and never-give-up spirit inspire every one of us. He is worthy of our learning and is our role model!”
Ding Changqin said: “Guangzhou is a very hospitable and enthusiastic city. During the entire race, many citizens cheered me on. Because my name was printed on my bib, everyone shouted ‘Go Changqin!’ according to the name on the bib, which moved me deeply.”
Elderly Runner Mr. Ning Eager to Return Next Year
Mr. Ning, who is about to turn 68, successfully completed his third Guangzhou Marathon (his second was in 2019). He said that this year’s course is more beautiful than it was six years ago, and the citizens, volunteers and staff along the way were all very enthusiastic. “In fact, the entry threshold for the Guangzhou Marathon is not low. Fortunately, my level is still up to par,” he said. Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of his marathon running career, and he hopes to secure a spot in the 2026 Guangzhou Marathon so that he can come back to run again.
Mr. Chen from Zhuhai has been running marathons for two years and secured a spot in the Guangzhou Marathon for the first time this year. He said that Guangzhou is very enthusiastic towards runners. He felt a strong sense of familiarity when he heard the volunteers broadcasting in Cantonese: “Hey, handsome guys and beautiful ladies, time for morning tea!” Therefore, he specially shouted “Guangzhou Marathon is awesome, brilliant and powerful!” while filming videos.
Mr. Zhong from Dongguan celebrated the 10th anniversary of his participation in the Guangzhou Marathon. His running group is named “Dian Guo Lu Zhe” (a Cantonese idiom meaning “everything goes smoothly”). Dressed in the group’s uniform printed with the name, he exuded a strong Cantonese charm.
