2026 Sihong Marathon Held With 8000 Runners
- A total of 8,000 runners gathered at South Park on October 25, 2026, to compete in the 2026 Sihong Marathon, navigating a course lined with wetlands, lakes, and...
- Wen敏 won the marathon men's division with a time of 2:28:14, followed by Zhang Yifan in second at 2:28:29 and Song Wentao in third at 2:29:12.
- I won the championship last year, and I am so happy to defend my title this time, Ni Zhiyan said after crossing the finish line.
A total of 8,000 runners gathered at South Park on October 25, 2026, to compete in the 2026 Sihong Marathon, navigating a course lined with wetlands, lakes, and autumn rice paddies as yzwb.net reported.
October 25 Race Results and Podium Finishes
Wen敏 won the marathon men’s division with a time of 2:28:14, followed by Zhang Yifan in second at 2:28:29 and Song Wentao in third at 2:29:12. In the women’s marathon, Ni Zhiyan claimed the title by finishing in 2:46:11, while Song Jinting took second at 2:50:55 and Qin Ruirui placed third at 2:52:51.
Sihong is my lucky place. I won the championship last year, and I am so happy to defend my title this time,
Ni Zhiyan said after crossing the finish line.
Gao Jinsheng won the half-marathon men’s race in 1:07:15, with Xia Hongran taking second in 1:08:48 and Zhang Decheng taking third in 1:10:07. Ren Xiuzhi won the half-marathon women’s division with a time of 1:19:33, ahead of runner-up Yin Wenjing at 1:21:55 and third-place Wang Chunxia at 1:25:55.
Course Design and Local Cultural Integration
Certified by the Chinese Athletics Association and hosted by the Sihong County People’s Government, the event featured full 42.195-kilometer and 21.0975-kilometer distances. The route directed participants past the New and Old Sui Rivers, crab cultivation ponds in the Hongze Lake basin, and the agricultural fields of Liushan town.
Spectators along the route performed Sihong opera and yingu drum routines to entertain the field. One participant traveling from Taizhou noted that he chose to attend the Sihong event despite a concurrent marathon in his home city specifically to experience the local atmosphere.
NFC Smart Medals and Tourism Perks
Organizers incorporated regional symbols such as Hongze Lake hairy crabs into the finisher medals, which included NFC technology allowing runners to tap their phones to retrieve personalized completion statistics. Additionally, participants presenting their ID cards and race confirmation documents between October 24 and 26 received free admission to the Sihong Hongze Lake Wetland Scenic Area, Shuanggou Liquor Culture Tourism Zone, and Liushan Lake Scenic Area.