5,000 runners complete half-marathon on Xi'an circumvallation

A total of 5,000 runners on Saturday completed a unique half-marathon on Xi'an circumvallation, one of the oldest, largest and best preserved Chinese city walls.

Qiu Wangdong, a student from Xi'an, lifted the men's title of the 2018 Xi'an City Wall International Marathon in 1:07:56.

Xi’an holds a unique half-marathon on the circumvallation, one of the oldest, largest and best preserved Chinese city walls, on April 21, 2018. [Photo: VCG]

The race started at 8:30 a.m. on the Yongning Gate (the south gate) of city wall.

"I just finished the Yangling marathon last weekend and I feel very exhausted during today's race," said Qiu, who was third in 2017 Xi'an international marathon, another newly founded marathon of the city.

"Finally I overcome all obstacles to claim the title and I'm so pleased I made it, "he added.

Feng Chaojie clocked in 1:28:14 to take the gold medal of women's half marathon.

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.

"The landscape is amazing and the people are so friendly. I have never seen a marathon with such a view of the mixing of historical and modern buildings," said David Morgan,a runner from the United States.

Xi’an holds a unique half-marathon on the circumvallation, one of the oldest, largest and best preserved Chinese city walls, on April 21, 2018. [Photo: IC]

Xi'an City Wall International Marathon, launched in 1993, has attracted more than 60,000 attendants from nearly 60 countries and regions throughout the world.

According to the local organizers, in order to protect the ancient city wall, the event allows a limited number of participants. With 5,000 lucky runners out of 30,000 applicants, this year's race featured half marathon, 5km mini-marathon and 13.7km marathon, the circumference of Xi'an ancient city wall.