Hangzhou, China – November 3, 2026 – On a golden autumn day in Hangzhou, the city was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus, the Qiantang River stretched wide, and the landscape was graceful and serene. At 7:00 a.m. on November 1, the 2026 Geely Auto Hangzhou Marathon started at Huanglong Sports Center.

The event was hosted by the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau and the Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government, with support from multiple departments as co-organizers and executors. About 30,000 runners from around the world gathered in Hangzhou to take in the city’s character one step at a time, joining a sporting celebration that combined competition, culture, and warmth. More than 30 official media outlets, sponsors, and running-community self-media accounts, including CCTV-5, China Media Group Mobile, Zhejiang Satellite TV, and Hangzhou TV Station, broadcast the race live. Major national, provincial, and municipal media, including Xinhua News Agency, China News Service, Zhejiang Daily, and Zhejiang Satellite TV, also covered the event. After several hours of fierce competition, the race came to a successful close.

Two World Heritage Sites in One Frame: The Most Beautiful Course Unfolds Like a Flowing Scroll

Founded in 1987, the Hangzhou Marathon is one of the oldest marathons in China. This year, it was once again designated a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race and a Class A certified event by the Chinese Athletics Association.

Building on its classic route, this year’s Hangzhou Marathon introduced innovative upgrades. For the first time, the course linked two World Cultural Heritage Sites, West Lake and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, blending the thousand-year heritage of Wu and Yue, the elegant cultural legacy of the Southern Song Dynasty, and the culture of the Qiantang River tidal bore. Starting from Huanglong Sports Center, runners took in lake and mountain scenery, the meeting of rivers, and the vibrant atmosphere of the Asian Games new town along the way. Half marathon runners finished at Civic Square‌, while full marathon runners ran into the “Big Lotus” stadium at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center.

The river-crossing section offered sweeping views, with high-speed trains, green-skinned trains, subways, cars, ships, and runners all appearing in the same frame, forming a series of flowing live cityscapes unique to Hangzhou.

Song Dynasty Charm and Osmanthus Fragrance Fill the City: The Most Fragrant, Most Cultural Course Showcases Jiangnan Elegance

This year’s Hangzhou Marathon set the goal of being “the most beautiful, most fragrant, most cultural, and most high-tech”, weaving Jiangnan cultural heritage into every part of the event. Continuing the “Osmanthus Marathon” tradition, the event partnered with Geely Auto to create the “Auspicious Osmanthus” cultural theme, releasing osmanthus fragrance in the finish area so that runners could immerse themselves in the unique atmosphere of the “most fragrant Hangzhou Marathon” amid a city filled with osmanthus scent.

Along the course, the organizing committee worked with community partners. In addition to upgrading classic features such as the “Ten Scenic Spots of the Hangzhou Marathon” and the “Music Aid Stations”, it invited 28 running clubs and other groups to create more than 50 atmosphere points along the route. From Song Dynasty–style song and dance to intangible cultural heritage activities, and from running club cheer squads to cheering citizens, Jiangnan elegance and the energy of running intertwined all the way, showcasing Hangzhou’s charm and the city’s warm enthusiasm.

Digital and Smart Protection Throughout the Race: The Most High-Tech Safeguards Bring City Warmth to Every Runner

Safety has always been the bottom line for the Hangzhou Marathon. This year, medical support focused on “new equipment and new standards” to improve quality and efficiency. Medical stations at high-risk sections were upgraded from “1 doctor and 1 nurse” to “1 doctor and 2 nurses”, and one-on-one emergency pacer runners were assigned to accompany older runners. Additionally, drones equipped with AEDs were introduced for the first time to carry out coordinated air-ground rescue. Relying on a police-medical coordination mechanism, these drones worked together with fixed medical stations, emergency runners, and medical observers to build a life-saving network covering the entire course.

Event services were upgraded as well. This year, NFC smart medals were used for the first time. The smart traffic control robot “Hangxing No. 2” was also deployed for the first time at a marathon, working alongside “Hangxing No. 1” at key intersections such as Shuguang Road Intersection, the Huanglong Cave Subway Station exit, the opening ceremony main stage, and Broken Bridge, where they maintained order and provided information and guidance to runners.

Heartwarming Services Honor Passion: 138 Runners Celebrate Birthdays Together on the Course

The Hangzhou Marathon is not only a stage for elite athletes, but also a celebration for everyday runners.

On the course, signage was clear and complete, and 25 aid stations and 1,562 restroom stalls were provided. Women’s essentials were distributed before the race as needed, making the run more comfortable. After the race, the finish-area recovery zone offered ice baths and 410 volunteers providing stretching and massage services, giving runners professional recovery support. The slippers and bath towels in the finisher bags were thoughtful touches, showing the warmth of the Hangzhou Marathon and the warmth of Hangzhou at every turn.

Off the course, the event continued its heartwarming “Runner Birthday Party” tradition, presenting special gifts and sincere wishes to 138 runners whose birthdays fell on race day, adding another touch of warmth to the “most beautiful course”. A cozy group birthday ceremony was held on site, where organizing committee representatives and the birthday runners cut a cake together and took commemorative photos. Amid laughter and applause, the runners wrote their own unique memories with sweat and smiles. From the warmth of the city to the warmth of the event, the Hangzhou Marathon showed through every detail what the “most heartwarming marathon” means. This birthday party beyond the finish line was not only a celebration of finishing the race, but also a tribute to perseverance and passion.

The Whole City United in Support: The Most Beautiful Course Reflects the Warmth of the Hangzhou Marathon

The successful staging of such a grand event would not have been possible without the joint support of all sectors of society.

Sponsors and the public worked together. The number of sponsors increased from 38 last year to 51 this year. Title partner Geely Auto supported the event in every way with its “Auspicious Osmanthus” philosophy and its green and smart mobility strengths, and presented a custom champion vehicle to the champion runners from China. Partners at all levels, including Li-Ning, Nongfu Spring, and Bank of Hangzhou, safeguarded runners with professional gear, drinking water and supplies, financial services, medical support, and transportation shuttles.

Event organization and support were efficient and orderly. Government officials along the route, university volunteers, traffic police, medical staff, sanitation workers, and citizen spectators all stayed at their posts. Communities, running clubs, and citizens along the route spontaneously formed cheering squads, bringing encouragement and enthusiasm to every point on the course. At points along the course, traffic gradually resumed about 30 minutes after each closing time. Once the last group of runners passed, cleanup began immediately, and the streets quickly returned to a tidy state. Just as impressive as the runners’ lightning speed was the efficient and orderly “Hangzhou Marathon speed”.

Peak Competition: Final Rankings and Results in Each Category

After fierce competition, in the men’s full marathon, Kemal HUSEN GEBI of Ethiopia won first place, Mustapha HOUDADI of Morocco won second place, and Nicholas KIRWA of Kenya won third place.

Among Chinese men, Gao Peng won first place with a time of 02:13:19, Wu Mingyao won second place with a time of 02:15:10, and Zhao Changhong won third place with a time of 02:15:29.

In the men’s half marathon, Luo Xiao of China won first place with a time of 01:04:29, Xu Kuantian of China won second place with a time of 01:05:26, and Chen Zhongping of China won third place with a time of 01:05:44.

In the women’s full marathon, Kuftu TAHIR DADISO and Amid Fozya JEMAL of Ethiopia won first and second place respectively, and Mercy Jerop KWAMBAI of Kenya won third place.

Among Chinese women, Zheng Xiaoqian won first place with a time of 02:34:00, Xia Yuyu won second place with a time of 02:35:10, and Zhou Hao won third place with a time of 02:41:28.

In the women’s half marathon, Ding Changqin of China won first place with a time of 01:13:02, Zhu Run of China won second place with a time of 01:15:43, and Zhang Xiaojie of China won third place with a time of 01:15:45.

Run through the scenery, run past you. The 2026 Geely Auto Hangzhou Marathon has come to a successful close, but Hangzhou’s upward-running stride will never stop. Looking ahead, the Hangzhou Marathon will continue to build its brand and host every edition with higher standards, a better experience, more careful support, and a stronger atmosphere, so that the marathon spirit continues to spread among the mountains and waters, and more people come to know the Hangzhou Marathon, understand Hangzhou, and fall in love with Zhejiang through running.

About Us

Zhejiang Huanglong Sports Centre is a major public sports venue and event-operations organization in Hangzhou, China. It is committed to high-standard sports events, public fitness services, and sports-cultural exchange. As a key operating supporter and contact organization of the Hangzhou Marathon, the Centre works with government departments, sponsors, media, and community partners to deliver professional, smart, and safe event services. It aims to promote the marathon spirit, support mass fitness, and showcase Hangzhou’s urban vitality and cultural charm.

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Company Name: Zhejiang Huanglong Sports Centre
Contact Person: Xu Shizhe
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Country: China
Website: https://www.hlsports.net/