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Marathons

Marathons
More than 800 marathons and countless other half marathons take place around the world every year, but only six are classed as world title events - Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.
A widely circulated social media video, apparently shot by another runner, shows the man jogging with the infant strapped to his chest. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong police

Police probe child abuse report after man runs with baby in Hong Kong Marathon

The force reached out to the runner and is arranging a time for him to return to the city to assist with investigation, an insider says.

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Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Time for Hong Kong marathon to pick up the pace and evolve

Hong Kong Marathon

Hong Kong Marathon organisers to look into turning event into 2-day affair

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Hong Kong Marathon

Hong Kong Marathon winner Belachew reignites city love affair, vows to return

Women’s crown goes to Shitaye Eshete, local pride for Virginia Lo and Wong Wan-chun as they cross first among home runners.

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Melaku Belachew celebrates after winning the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon. Photo: Dickson Lee
Hong Kong Marathon

Runners who missed out on Hong Kong Marathon complete Happy Valley ‘invitational’

With almost half of applicants unable to get a spot in Sunday’s event, a few do the next best thing – it’s still running, organiser says.

Hong Kong Marathon

Melaku Belachew, Shitaye Eshete claim Hong Kong Marathon crowns - as it happened

Melaku Belachew wins men’s race for second time, while Bahrain’s Shitaye Eshete goes close to breaking women’s mark set in 2019.

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From our archives

On This Day | Drama in Hong Kong’s first international marathon in 1969 – SCMP archive

Ahead of Sunday’s Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon, we look back at Hong Kong’s first international marathon, more than 55 years ago.

Runners taking part in the Tin Tin international marathon at Yuen Long Stadium in the New Territories on December 14, 1969. Photo: SCMP
Hong Kong Marathon

Defending marathon champion Kipkemboi eyes course record as well as title

Bethwell Kipkemboi is back to defend his men’s Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon crown, as Bahrain’s Shitaye Eshete targets women’s gold.

Hong Kong Marathon

On This Day | Hong Kong marathons throughout the years – SCMP archive

Ahead of Sunday’s Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, the Post looks back at the city’s marathon history.

Tourism

What’s fuelling South Korea’s running boom? A look at the fitness obsession

From office workers to ultra-marathoners, South Korea’s running boom is reshaping streets, travel and retail as millions hit the pavement.

Runners set off during the DMZ International Peace Marathon, in the Demilitarized Zone in Gangwon province, in South Korea, on September 21, 2025. Some 10 million South Koreans now identify as runners, according to industry and tourism data, roughly double the figure from 2015. Photo: The Korea Times
Hong Kong Marathon

Top city runner Virginia Lo to resume ‘personal best’ quest at Hong Kong Marathon

City’s best female finisher in last year’s race did so with her best time and went on to keep lowering her marks over the year.

Hong Kong’s Virginia Lo improved her best marathon time to 2:39:23 at the National Games in November. Photo: China News Service
Hong Kong sports

Hong Kong marathon sets record with 1 in 4 of 74,000 runners from outside city

Authorities warn road closures for Sunday’s marathon will affect services along 269 bus and 40 minibus routes, urge public to plan ahead.

Hong Kong Initiative for Diversity

Marathon marks another mile in lifelong friendship for Hong Kong’s ‘Running Babes’

Members fly in from around the world for China Coast Marathon and to support friend’s 88th long-distance race.

China’s ‘fastest female nurse’ quits hospital job amid sponsor, shift controversy

Zhang Shuihua, who was the fastest local woman at the Harbin Marathon, resigns after row over clash between work and running.

On August 31, Zhang Shuihua, a Chinese runner participating in the women’s race of the 2025 Harbin Marathon, reached the finish line. (Xinhua)

Milestone marathon now just a marker on Hongkonger’s road to reaching magic number

Ming Chen, who has competed across the globe, once planned to stop on 88 races. But she will hit that on Sunday, so now 100 is the target.

Ming Chen is preparing to compete in her 88th marathon at the Road Scholars China Coast Marathon. Photo: Karma Lo

China Coast Marathon a spectacular alternative to Standard Chartered Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s oldest marathon, the China Coast event differs from the city race a week later and will pose a gruelling challenge in Sai Kung.

Wellness

She’d make excuses to skip running club. Now she’s smashed the 6 big marathons

Sophia Leung didn’t start running until her 40s and even then she wasn’t keen. Six world major marathons later and running is her ‘medicine’.

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Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation

Hong Kong runners hit the track to raise funds for Tai Po victims

HK$500,000 already raised for Wang Fuk Court support fund in Lap Dog Challenge at Stanley Ho Sports Centre.

Lap Dog Challenge runners help to raise funds for the victims of the Tai Po fire. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong Streetathon vows to regain runners’ trust as 7 lost bags are found

Race organiser RunOurCity wants runners to ‘feel that confidence is restored’ after QR code system failed and complaints about route.

Hong Kong sports

7 Hong Kong Streetathon runners still missing bags as Wi-fi failure blamed

Organiser RunOurCity says team was unable to scan QR codes during peak hours due to discrepancy in signal strength and Wi-fi breakdown.

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Mable Chan

Hong Kong Streetathon organisers sorry for bag collection chaos, promise review

While costumed runners, ‘leaders’ race’ add to merriment, long uphill finish questioned by competitors.

Almost 20,000 runners took part in Kerry Hong Kong Streetathon 2025, marking the 10th anniversary of the charity run. Photo: Karma Lo
Food and Drinks

On the Menu | Runners of Hong Kong, what kind of carbs are you eating?

Char siu rice? Pineapple buns? Running influencers tout the benefits of bread and pasta, but that is not what this new runner is looking for.

Char siu rice at Holt’s Cafe at the Rosewood Hong Kong in Hong Kong. What are runners in Hong Kong loading up on to maintain their carb intake?
World Athletics Championships

Duplantis breaks pole vault world record in Tokyo after amazing marathon finish

Men’s marathon proves closer than men’s 100m final as it ends in a photo finish, a first for a major championship.

Wellness

Profile | ‘Lazy’? How Hong Kong marathon star made history, and his next goal

Dennis Lui, the first Hongkonger to run all seven major world marathons in under three hours each, shares his story – and his love of sleep.

Eliud Kipchoge

Olympic champion Hassan and Kiros smash course records to win Sydney Marathon

Decision to skip World Athletics Championships pays off for Sifan Hassan in utterly dominant display.

Netherlands’s Sifan Hassan celebrates as she crosses the finish line in the 2025 Sydney Marathon. Photo: AFP
Eliud Kipchoge

World’s fastest marathon man to lead runners as Sydney race joins elite group

Organisers expect about 35,000 people to run on Sunday, with event predicted to be worth US$47 million in tourism spending over next three years.

Elite marathon runners pose for photos in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photo: AFP
Trail running and hiking

Hong Kong Marathon officials’ plan to stop race cheats: ask runners to check

Details of 2026 race announced, after this year’s saw half-marathon winner and runner-up disqualified over bibs not matching identities.

Wellness

He’s 80 and still running marathons. How does Olympian Jeff Galloway do it?

Galloway, whose Run-Walk-Run method has helped countless people take up endurance running, reveals how he trains and what he eats.

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