3,000 marathon runners compete on 600-city call in Xi'an

A total of 3,000 runners completed a unique half-marathon on the 600-year-old ancient city wall in Xi'an on Sunday.

Runners compete in a unique half-marathon on the 600-year-old ancient city wall in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, on Sunday, September 10, 2017. [Photo: cnwest.com]

Xi Dongping, a student from Xi'an University of Post and Communication, lifted the men's title by 1:15:27 of the 2017 Xi'an City Wall International Marathon.

The competition started at 8 a.m. on the Yongning Gate (the south gate) of city wall. 

"I'm so fortunate that today's weather is very appropriate for my performance," said Xi, who was born in Shandong Province.

"It is the fourth time that I have attended this marathon and I finally claimed the title," he said.

Cao Qinghong, who won the women's half marathon two year ago, took the gold medal again by 1:24:19.

Runners compete in a unique half-marathon on the 600-year-old ancient city wall in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, on Sunday, September 10, 2017. [Photo: cnwest.com]

Compared with regular marathons, the route of this marathon is on the city wall that was built at Ming Dynasty more than 600 years ago, and it is the only marathon in the world that all track is on the ancient city wall with a magnificent landscape.

"It's fantastic! I have never seen a marathon with such a view of modern buildings and ancient castle," said Ali Rahman, a Pakistani student studying in Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Xi'an City Wall International Marathon, launched in 1993, has attracted more than 60,000 runners from nearly 60 countries and regions throughout the world, including 16,000 foreign participants so far.

According to the local organizers, in order to protect the ancient city wall, the event allows less than 3,000 participants to attend every year. This year's competition attracted 3,000 runners from all over the nation, featuring half marathon, 5km mini-marathon and 13.7km marathon, which is the circumference of Xi'an city wall.