The 2024 Linping Half Marathon kicks off on March 17. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

The 2024 Linping Half Marathon began at 8 am on March 17, becoming Hangzhou's first marathon to be held in the Year of the Dragon.

The event featured both a half marathon and a fun run, with an estimated 10,000 runners participating. Over 100 corporate running teams from Fortune Global 500 companies, China's top 500 companies, and other listed companies competed in a unique "race within a race" format.

The half marathon course started at the Linping Asian Games Stadium, passing by iconic landmarks and attractions such as the Jiangnan Water Town Museum, Linping Intangible Cultural Heritage Street and E-Fashion Town, before finishing at the Linping Grand Theater.

After fierce competition, Ethiopian runner Desalegn Girma Debel won the men's division with a time of 1 hour, 3 minutes, and 5 seconds, followed by fellow Ethiopian Bekele Fetene Tamiru in second place and Chinese runner Ma Rui in third place. In the women's division, Mastewal Sile Baye from Ethiopia crossed the finish line first with a time of 1 hour, 11 minutes, and 47 seconds, followed by fellow Ethiopian Agrie Belachew Wole in second place and Chinese runner Chen Linming in third place.

In addition to the standard recovery zone, the marathon featured two celebrations at the finish line. The fun run finish line offered family-friendly sports events and showcases of Linping's distinctive intangible cultural heritage. The half marathon finish line was located at the cultural and arts center of E-Fashion Town, surrounded by unique landmark buildings such as the Linping Grand Theater, becoming a popular spot for participants looking to capture memories.

The 2024 Linping Half Marathon kicks off on March 17. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]