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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.
Zhang Shuihua winning the 2025 Harbin Marathon last August while she was working as a nurse. Photo: Xinhua

Former ‘fastest nurse’ wins first marathon as professional, earning 40,000 yuan

Zhang Shuihua wins Lishui Marathon on Sunday and has earned far more than her nursing income since resigning from her tenured position.

Mainland China

Video | Chinese marathon official banned for blocking winner near finish line

Chinese race official gets 1-year ban after mistakenly pushing winner off course

Stanford University

How Hong Kong helped this US sprinter meet fresh challenges, learn to run again

Claire Cormier Thielke moved to the city in 2019, made friends through running and has now even completed the 777 Marathon Challenge.

Claire Cormier Thielke completed seven marathons on seven continents over seven days in the 777 Challenge last month. Photo: Claire Cormier Thielke
Wellness

Why electrolyte drinks like Gatorade and Pocari Sweat aren’t always beneficial

Health professionals explain who does and doesn’t benefit from electrolyte supplements and why making them at home isn’t a good idea.

Asian Games 2026

Japanese spur Feng Peiyou to break He Jie’s Chinese record at Tokyo Marathon

China runner puts Asian Games rivals on notice at year’s first major race with a time that crushed previous mark set at Wuxi Marathon in 2024.

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Hong Kong society

On This Day | 1 runner resuscitated, 22 hospitalised in 2006 marathon – from the SCMP archive

Twenty years ago on February 12, 2006, amid the worst air pollution in months, multiple participants in city’s annual race sought medical attention.

The scene at the start of the half-marathon on Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui on February 12, 2006. Photo: SCMP
Wellness

How people like 70-year-old Chow Yun-fat keep pushing their endurance limits

Chow ran a half-marathon last year, while silver stars like Natalie Grabow, Jeannie Rice and Hiromu Inada are breaking records. Here’s how.

Hong Kong Marathon

Tourism carnival or elite-level race? What could be next for Hong Kong Marathon

Olympic gold medallist Vivian Kong tells Legislative Council race could mirror France’s famous wine run; sports minister details other options.

Wellness

Why these common painkillers might be bad news for long distance runners

NSAIDs strain the kidneys, as does endurance running, and many race organisers advise against taking the anti-inflammatories during events.

Taking NSAIDs for issues like knee pain while running long distances could be bad news for runners as the painkillers place additional strain on the kidneys, experts say. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong eyes bigger marathon with egg waffles and milk tea to cheer runners

Tourism chief Rosanna Law says government open to expanding Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon capacity or turning it into two-day event.

Athletes run along Island Eastern Corridor during the 10km race of the marathon. Photo: Eugene Lee
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

With the popularity of the event growing and competition from other cities, organisers should be open to innovative ideas for improvement.

Hong Kong Marathon

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

Huge number of applications is an issue that needs to be addressed, they say, but so is disruption to the city caused by just one race day.

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Almost all of the 74,000 runners who were awarded a place in the race, out of 120,000 applicants, turned up, organisers said. Photo: Karma Lo
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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