On 7:30AM,Nov. 5th, the YichangInternational Marathon kicked off in Yichang Peace Park. The event is hosted by Chinese Athletics Association, Hubei Administration of SportandtheYichang Municipal Government, and organized by Hubei Athletics Association, theYichang Administration of Sportand Luyue(Shanghai)Sport Development Co.Ltd. The photo aboveshows the scene of the competition(Photography by reporter Li Feng).

　　On 7:30AM,Nov. 5th,Yichang International Marathon, whichis hosted by Chinese Athletics Association, Hubei Administration of Sport, andYichang Municipal Government, and organized by Hubei Athletics Association, Yichang Administration of Sportand Luyue(Shanghai)Sport Development Co.Ltd, kicked off in Yichang Peace Park.

　　Lin Xiaohua, the inspectorfrom Hubei Administration of Sport, ZhaoPu, the directorin charge of the Marathon from the Chinese Athletic Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, and the leaders from theYichang Municipal Government, attended the launching ceremony.

　　Wang Guobin gave a speech on behalf of the Yichang Municipal Party Committeeand Yichang Municipal Government. He said, “Marathonis the soul of Olympics, and a sport that can fully manifest the spiritof national fitness and national sports.”Since the first Yichang International Marathon has been successfully hosted, Yichang Marathon has attracted greatattention from the public. Having blendedthe enthusiasm of former and new runners, it hasbecome a gala of sports, a festival of people, a name card of the City and a bridge of communication.

　　ThisYichang International Marathon has full marathon, half marathon, quarter marathon and mini marathon. It has attracted nearly 20,000 runners from 20 countries and regions, for example, America, Britain, and Kenya, to name but a few.Among them, more than 10,000 field runners, and Yichang world weightlifting champion TianTao led the way.

　　After thefierce competition, MulatuTesfayeRegasaand GelavyeSheferaBelihufromEthiopiarespectively won men's marathon championshipin2：14'：57"(2h,14min, 57 sec) and women's marathon championshipin 2：51'44". Meanwhile some contestants won the prizes in half marathonsand mini marathons.

　　The competition routes pass along some landmarks and representative scenic spots of Yichang, which include theRiverbankRoad, the Natural Tower, the Yiling Yangtze River Bridge, theMoji Mountain,theOlympic Sports Center, and theZhixi Yangtze River Bridge.

　　The world weightlifting champion TianTao, a native of Yichang,said in an interview,“Every timeI come back, I’ve found great changes in Yichang. Yichang is getting better and better, and the Yangtze River Bridge is very beautiful. I havevery specialfeelings when runningwith so many people.”

　　The relevant officials of the organizing committee said thatthe YichangInternational Marathon has combined a lot of factors such as "sports,tourism,culture, artsand public welfare”. Inaddition, itincorporates theYichang characteristic scenery of "One river, Two bridges, and Three Gorges" into the trackfor creating a"Running Along the Yangtze River" characteristic cultural events, whichenables contestants to fully feel the beauty of the Yangtze River.

　　Compared with the first YichangInternational Marathon, this year's marathon launched the team competition of full marathon and added a team in the mini-marathon. Before the competition, the organizing committee also launched the selection oftheimage ambassadorfor YichangInternational MarathonSports, the performance of square dancein the track, and a public-welfare activitynamed “A Pioneerfor EnvironmentProtection”.