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Thousands race Xi'an's ancient city wall

By Yuan Yue (China Daily Shaanxi Bureau)
Updated: 2009-11-09 13:45

The Xi'an City Wall International Marathon kicked off November 7, attracting over 2,000 sports enthusiasts to climb the ancient city wall in the annual event.

On the Xi'an ancient city wall - one of the best preserved city walls in China—the 15th International Marathon Race had a calm atmosphere, as most of the athletes came for a visit rather than collect a prize. The competition's unique venue provided them with a bird's-eye view of the city.

"Excuse me, are the male and female competitors separated?" asked one man who didn't give his name but said he was a foreign teacher at Xi'an International Studies University (XISU). "I am not sure whether I can hold on until the end, but I really want to appreciate the scenery with my wife."

The marathon, sponsored by Shaanxi Zhongdeng Industrial Corporation, aims to promote the nationwide program for fitness, as well as to make the city of Xi'an better known around the world, according to the Xi'an Municipal Sports Administration.

This year's race witnessed a new high in the number of competitors. Over 1,860 athletes from around the world participated, among which 489 were from abroad.

"I have been in China for four years, and this is my third time taking part in this race," said Rachel, a Tanzanian girl studying at Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU). "I think it is a good chance to exercise while enjoying the beautiful sights."

Also taking part was a 34-athlete delegation from Gyeongju-si of South Korea, a sister city of Xi'an.

"The Xi'an citizens are very friendly, and I am very touched by the atmosphere. I think that is where my inspiration came from," said Huang Zun Ho, a Korean who won first prize in the international group 5-km race.