Two Hainan marathons awarded 'gold labels'

The 2018 China Danzhou International Marathon attracts over 16,000 participants. [Photo by Wang Ziqian/Chinanews.com]

The annual marathon press conference held by the Chinese Athletic Association (CAA) was held in Xiamen, Fujian province on March 11. The China Danzhou International Marathon and Hainan (Sanya) International Marathon were selected as "gold label" marathons and ranked among the nation's top events.

Danzhou's international marathon began in 2010 and was named a "silver label" marathon in 2016. After receiving the prestigious "gold label" title, the Danzhou marathon committee plans to continue adhering to their original purpose – to offer runners consistent support and promote the national fitness movement.

Sanya held its first international marathon in 2016 and has hosted four annual races since. The event has been gaining in popularity and attracted 17,781 participants this year.

A number released by the CAA suggested that in 2018, China organized up to 1,581 marathons and other running events generating a total of more than 17.8 billion yuan ($2.65 billion). The industry's annual output reached 74.6 billion yuan, up seven percent over the year before.

This year's Hainan (Sanya) International Marathon, which concluded on March 10, generated 683 million yuan in direct income and 2.66 billion yuan in indirect income with support and guidance from the local government.

The 2019 Hainan (Sanya) International Marathon is held on March 10. [Photo/Sanya Daily APP]

Participants of the 2019 Hainan (Sanya) International Marathon can't wait for the race to begin. [Photo/Chinanews.com]