New Year running whips up Yangzhou

The annual New Year running activity opens in grand style at the Sports Park in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, Dec 30, 2017. [Photo/Yangzhou municipal sports bureau]

Nearly 10,000 residents laced up their shoes for the annual New Year running activity at the Sports Park on Dec 30, 2017 in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province.

The running activity has been held for 21 consecutive years in Yangzhou and has become the city's brand activity of mass fitness program.

Zhang Aijun, mayor of Yangzhou, fires the starter's pistol for the 2018 Yangzhou New Year Running Activity on Dec 30, 2017 at the Sports Park in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo/Yangzhou municipal sports bureau]

Organized by the Yangzhou municipal government and the Yangzhou municipal sports bureau, the running event was designed to promote fitness, call on citizens to actively keep fit, as well as welcome the year of 2018 with good health and spirited emotions.

This year, the event was also entrusted with the recent meaning of boosting the morale for the 19th Sports Games of Jiangsu, which will be undertaken by Yangzhou in September of 2018.

Two sub-venues were also set up in Guangling and Jiangdu districts, attracting lots of runners and fitness enthusiasts.

Lion and dragon dances are performed at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Yangzhou New Year Running Activity on Dec 30, 2017 at the Sports Park in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo/Yangzhou municipal sports bureau]