2004 Beijing International Marathon
2009 Beijing International Marathon/11th National Games Marathon Set to Commence in October
The 2009 Beijing International Marathon/11th National Games Marathon Press Conference was successfully held at The Westin Hotel, Financial Street in Beijing on September 16, 2009. Representatives from the event organizer, Chinese Athletic Association, and Beijing University Sports Association, marketing partner, Octagon, and event sponsors attended the opening press conference.
Beijing International Marathon is recognized as one of only 11 of the world`s highest-level marathons (Gold Label Road Race) by IAAF and AIMS, along with - Berlin Marathon and London Marathon. (Others are Paris, Osaka, Boston, Hamburg, Xiamen, Chicago, Frankfort and New York Marathons)
At the same time, 2009 Beijing International Marathon is also the final of the 11th National Games Marathon and Capital University Marathon Challenge. In addition to international elite runners, the first 30 professional athletes in the last 4 years of the National Marathon Ranking will compete for the first gold medal of the 11th National Games, and 13 universities have registered for the Capital University Marathon Challenge. Each university will nominate 10 male and 10 female high-level runners to participate in the University Challenge.
As the first mass sports event after the celebration of China’s 60th anniversary, the 2009 Beijing International Marathon will start at Tiananmen Square on Sunday, October 18, 2009. Male and female runners of the National Games Marathon will set off at eight o’clock, while masses of runners for the Capital University Marathon Challenge will start at 8:15.
The 2009 Beijing International Marathon will also start from Tiananmen Square. The carefully designed marathon course will cross Xicheng, Dongcheng, Haidian and Chaoyang Districts and will end at the National Olympic Center. Compared with previous years, there are 3 highlights for this year’s race. First is the finishing area. Due to subway construction at Shouti South Road, the 9 kilometer race will finish near Chegongzhuang Street, and the half Marathon will end at Zhichun Road. Secondly, much of the exceptional route will remain. The beautiful Qunyu River lined with blossoming flowers will exemplify the harmony between nature and human beings as well as the city and its environment. In addition, Zhichun Road and Haidian South Road will fully display Beijing’s prosperity and it is also convenient for spectators to watch the event from these areas. Lastly, the route will highlight the features and achievements of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The route will pass Olympic Boulevard，the grand Bird’s Nest, Water Cube and Olympic North Stadium, which will not only show a modern Beijing but also the charm of its Olympic heritage.
It has been one year since the Beijing Olympics, and people in China have shown great interest in participating in this fantastic sporting event. There will be about 30,000 runners for Beijing International Marathon, with participants running in 4 disciplines from Full Marathon (42.195km), Half Marathon (21.0975km), 9 Kilometer to Mini Marathon (4.2km), according to their own physical condition. In addition, there will also be a Kids Run that will take place on Saturday, October 17th at the Olympic Center.
In regard to this year’s event organization, the committee has made great efforts in runners’ safety issues and on site assistance. It will continue to buy personal accident insurance for every runner and increase the number of ambulances and volunteers along the course during the event. Different from previous years, the runners’ packages will be distributed on the second floor of the Olympic Stadium from 14th - 18th October. As the international female marathon runners are performing better and better, the committee will set the same award for both male and female runners this year with the amount at 20,000 US dollars. And in order to encourage runners to break the record, there will be special bonus for both male and female runners at 42,195 US dollars.
The 2009 Beijing International Marathon has received tremendous support from its sponsors. The dairy product manufacturer - Mengniu is sponsoring this year’s event at the Gold level, and Seven&i Holding also became a Gold Sponsor for the first time, Wastons water and The Westin Hotel are also first time sponsors to the Marathon. In addition, Canon and Honda are continuing their Gold level sponsorship for a third consecutive year. Nike is also continuing their long term sponsorship as an official sponsor. And Alipay, as the domestic payment partner, helps tremendously to register participants during the event. The organizers and marketing partner sincerely thank all new and continuing sponsors for their support in helping to make 2009 Beijing International Marathon a great success.
2009 Beijing International Marathon has drawn great attention from both domestic and international media. CCTV-5 will broadcast live the whole event; with international broadcast in Japan on TBS and other countries. And as media partners for the event, Sports Illustrated, Baidu, Beijing News, Kongzhong Net, Sina, Youku and the subway media will also promote the event.
Introduction:
The Beijing International Marathon (BIM) is organized by the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) and approved by the State Sports General Administration (GSA), as well as the Municipal Government of Beijing. Recorded officially by the Association of International Marathons and Road Races (AIMS) and sanctioned by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the BIM is the highest-level marathon currently contested in China and is one of only eleven full marathons in the world to receive the distinction of IAAF Gold Label Race. First held in 1981, it has since become one of China’s most famous international races, notably for its start at traditional Tiananmen Square.
Held annually every October, the BIM is offers a chance to experience Beijing’s golden fall and combines views of the ancient city among a modern landscape. The BIM provides a spacious, smooth competitive route, with mild autumn climate and a high-level of organization and competition. In addition to the passion of local Chinese runners, hospitality and friendliness is also seen in the crowd of enthusiastic spectators lining the marathon route from start to finish; it is no wonder that each year, the BIM attracts more and more elite-level athletes from all over the world. Similarly, as Beijing will play host city to the 2008 Olympic Games, there has been an increase in development and improvement of the city’s current roads and traffic infrastructure which serve to provide better conditions for this year and future BIM races.
The BIM race record of 2:07:35 was set in 1986 by the Japanese runner Kodana Taisuke and equaled two years later by Abebe Mekonnen of Ethiopia. In 2003, famous Chinese distance runner, Sun YingJie, set the world’s second best marathon time, at that time, for a female at 2:19:38, which still stands today as the female race record.
To promote involvement and raise the level of competition in the BIM, event organizers have set the competition time limit at 5 hours. Since 1998, additional race disciplines were added to encourage broader participation in the BIM. Currently, in addition to the full marathon (42.195K), participants may choose to also run in the half marathon (21.095K), the 10K and the mini marathon (4.2K). In 2007, 25,685 runners participated in the marathon.