At 7:30 AM on September 16, the 2018 Huaxia Happiness Beijing Marathon started with a gunshot at Tiananmen Square. A total of 30,000 long-distance running enthusiasts from 43 countries and regions set off from Tiananmen Square, heading north towards the finish line at the Bird's Nest!

This highly anticipated 2018 Beijing Marathon is alsothe final stop of the China Marathon Grand Slam.After intense competition, Ethiopian runner DEBELA GONFA won the men's championship of the 2018 Beijing Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 12 seconds. Kenyan runner VALARY won the women's championship with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, and 36 seconds.

In terms of domestic male runners,@Li Zicheng(click to follow) won the domestic men's championship of the 2018 Beijing Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 53 seconds, placing fourth internationally. He also won the men's competitive group championship of the 2017-2018 China Marathon Grand Slam.

Thus, in the five stops of the inaugural Grand Slam event, Li Zicheng won four championships, firmly holding the men's Grand Slam championship in his hands and making history. Chinese runners Xu Wang and Yang Dinghong won the second and third places in the domestic men's category, respectively.

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Race Review: Ethiopian runners took the top two spots, Li Zicheng retained the domestic championship.

The weather was nice today. After the race started, elite runners quickly broke away. At the first drink station around 5 kilometers, male runners hydrated, with Li Zicheng in the rear of the leading group.

Jia Erjinga and Guan Yousheng closely followed the leading women's group.

At the 10-kilometer timing point, the male runners' performance was very ideal, maintaining a pace of around 300.

At the halfway point, the time was about 1 hour and 4 minutes, forming a leading group of three men.

Li Zicheng was about 39 seconds behind, with the camera frequently focusing on domestic runners.

Runner number 002, GONFA from Ethiopia, led alone after 30 kilometers. In the end, GONFA won with a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 8 seconds, although he slowed down significantly in the second half due to injury.

Men's Results

Li Zicheng won the domestic men's championship with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 53 seconds, securing the men's competitive group championship of the 2017-2018 China Marathon Grand Slam. Xu Wang took second place domestically with a time of 2:17, and Yang Dinghong took third with a time of 2:18.

Yang Dinghong

In the women's competition, runner number 093, Valary from Kenya, won with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, and 38 seconds, achieving the best women's result in the Beijing Marathon in nearly 13 years, ranking fourth in the history of the women's event.

He Yinli won the domestic women's championship with a time of 2:31:45, but due to a slower PB than Li Dan's 2:30, Li Dan won the women's competitive group championship of the China Marathon Grand Slam.

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Li Zicheng wins the Grand Slam championship, defending his position as thetop amateurrunner.

Li Zicheng, who left the professional team in 2013, has now become the most dazzling 'amateur' marathon runner in China. After retiring, Li Zicheng participates in more than 40 marathons each year, winning up to 42 championships in a single year and continuously breaking his personal best. He is already a well-known figure in the national running community.

Since the 2017 Beijing Marathon, Li Zicheng has been leading the domestic elite runners. Last year's Beijing Marathon, as the first stop of the 2017-2018 Asian Marathon Grand Slam and the China Marathon Grand Slam, gathered many top domestic runners. The four top runners outside the system, Li Zicheng, Guan Yousheng, Qiu Wangdong, and Mou Zhenhua, all participated. After intense competition, Li Zicheng broke through with an 'unreasonable running method' to win the domestic championship and earn championship points.

In the 2017 Guangzhou Marathon, Li Zicheng won the domestic championship with a time of 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 13 seconds, ranking eighth overall. Winning the domestic championship in two consecutive Grand Slam events secured Li Zicheng's top position in the China Marathon Grand Slam points ranking.

In the 2018 Wuhan Marathon, Guan Yousheng, in his best state, challenged Li Zicheng. From the start of the race, Guan and Li fought together until the 40th kilometer, when Li Zicheng finally pulled away from Guan Yousheng. In the end,Li Zicheng won the domestic men's championship with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 39 seconds.Guan Yousheng finished second in the domestic men's category with a time of 2 hours, 16 minutes, and 8 seconds.

Before the 2018 Beijing Marathon, the only person qualified to compete with Li Zicheng for the Grand Slam championship was Guan Yousheng. Guan participated in four events this season but only won the domestic championship in Chongqing. To win the Grand Slam championship, Guan needed to win today's Beijing Marathon, earn six points, and surpass Li Zicheng's time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 39 seconds in the Wuhan Marathon. This was also his last chance to compete for the 500,000 yuan prize.

However, in today's Beijing Marathon, Li Zicheng did not give him a chance. After the start, Li Zicheng closely followed the leading group and then formed a second group with the official pacer, distancing himself from other domestic runners. Guan Yousheng stabilized in the second large group after the start. In the end, Li Zicheng maintained his lead to win the 2018 Beijing Marathon domestic men's championship with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 52 seconds, crowning the inaugural China Marathon Grand Slam men's champion.

Thus, the inaugural China Marathon Grand Slam concluded successfully, with Li Zicheng winning the men's championship with an absolute advantage and earning a 500,000 yuan prize. He also solidified his position as the 'top amateur' in domestic marathons.

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Various costumes stole the spotlight, and a 77-year-old grandmother ran the course!

The Beijing Marathon is not only a competition among top marathon runners but also a grand carnival for many amateur runners. Every year, the Beijing Marathon course is filled with eye-catching costumes and heartwarming moments. Let's appreciate their style together!

Isn't this Gege running outfit very eye-catching?

This classic fighting game costume is even cooler~

I am Superman, run with me!

The beautiful cheerleaders on the sidelines were even more stunning~

Escort the Beijing Marathon, be my bride!

A 77-year-old local runner from Beijing, the grandmother started running in the 1980s and enjoys running laps. Kudos to the grandmother!

The grandmother could even give interviews while running.

Besides this grandmother, this year's Beijing Marathon also featured runner Wang Jinfu, who is already 62 years old. He has been running the Beijing Marathon since 1989 without interruption, and 2018 marked his 30th time on the Beijing Marathon course.

Wang Jinfu's 2017 Beijing Marathon time was 3 hours, 2 minutes, and 11 seconds. In May this year, he ran 10 kilometers in 38 minutes and 50 seconds. Truly impressive for young runners...

Other elderly runners also showed their elegance~

Respect to the wheelchair athletes~

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Conclusion

The Beijing Marathon, which began in 1981, is the most famous marathon event in China and is regarded by many runners as the 'National Marathon.' This year marks not only the tenth anniversary of the Beijing Marathon receiving the IAAF Gold Label but also the tenth anniversary of the Beijing Olympics. The high-quality Beijing Marathon has become a highly inspiring elite runner's sanctuary for many.

For every runner participating in the Beijing Marathon, it has a different significance. Thank you, Beijing Marathon, for bringing us such touching moments, and we wish every Beijing Marathon runner the best. See you next year!

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