Over the past weekend, numerous exciting road running events were held across the country. Among them, the 2026 National Half Marathon Championship & the 9th Xinli Meishan Renshou Half Marathon, held in Renshou County, Meishan City, Sichuan Province, stood out prominently.
This year's event not only attracted many top domestic and international elite athletes to compete but was also highly anticipated due to its course, long renowned as "China's fastest half marathon track." After the starting gun fired, runners sprinted and chased each other, unleashing speed and passion along the 21.0975-kilometer route.
The professional refinement behind the Platinum Label status is noteworthy. In China's road running landscape, World Athletics Platinum Label events were historically associated more with major cities like Shanghai and Xiamen. In 2025, the list included the name of a county-level area: Renshou County in Sichuan Province.
Established in 2017, the Renshou Half Marathon was awarded the China Athletics Association Bronze Label race status in 2018, upgraded to Silver Label in 2019, became Sichuan's first World Athletics Label race in 2021, gradually aligning with international standards. In 2025, it officially achieved the World Athletics Platinum Label certification, becoming China's first Platinum Label half marathon event. In just nine years, a county-level race has "run into" the world's top-tier road running series.
This edition saw a concentration of high-level domestic and international participants, including 332 professional athletes from 35 professional teams. Additionally, 15 athletes from the World Athletics Elite pool were invited to compete, comprising 7 Platinum Label and 8 Gold Label athletes.
According to official chip timing data, a total of 4,626 runners finished under 1 hour and 30 minutes this year, an increase of 924 participants compared to the previous year. In the men's category, 222 runners broke 1 hour 10 minutes, and 1,066 finished under 1 hour 20 minutes. In the women's category, 6 runners finished under 1 hour 10 minutes, and 70 finished under 1 hour 20 minutes. Jia E Renjia, who won first place among Chinese male runners, also set a new personal best on this course.
Behind these impressive results lies a course refined over nine years of continuous effort. A representative from the event operator, Bojie Sports, explained that since its inception, the event has consistently adhered to professional organization, continuously optimizing to create a premium half marathon course. The course has undergone several adjustments; the optimized route is 99.5% straight sections, with elevation changes controlled within 1 meter. For the 2026 event, three key turnaround points were further optimized to minimize runners' speed loss and ensure the shortest path "blue line" more accurately covers the full 21.0975 kilometers, creating better conditions for both elite and amateur runners to achieve personal bests.
The pathway for a small city to host a major event is one of progression. Renshou County, an "ancient county" with a history spanning millennia located about 70 kilometers directly south of Chengdu, has a population exceeding one million. In recent years, Renshou has fully integrated into Chengdu's "half-hour economic circle," ranking among China's Top 100 County-level Cities for Comprehensive Strength and Top 100 County-level Cities for High-Quality Development. Whether considering population size, geographical advantages, or urban capacity, the county provides strong support for hosting a Platinum Label event.
The Bojie Sports representative candidly stated that the most challenging aspect of pursuing the Platinum Label was the precise alignment of county-level resources with international event standards. As a county, Renshou faced gaps compared to major cities in terms of hardware facilities, personnel coordination, and international event operation experience. The task required strict adherence to all detailed criteria for the World Athletics Platinum Label while efficiently managing limited resources, coordinating efforts between the government, various departments, volunteers, and citizens to form a collective force, gradually addressing shortcomings and refining details while overcoming multiple challenges.
Wang Dong, head of the Renshou County Education and Sports Bureau, expressed deep emotion when discussing the Renshou Half Marathon: "The Platinum Label is not exclusive to big cities. Renshou achieved it through years of persistence, professional operation, meticulous service, and runner口碑." He added, "The initial decision to consistently develop the half marathon wasn't just about hosting a sports event; it was about treating the event as a city名片, a vehicle for national fitness, and a driver for county development." Wang Dong explained that the Renshou Half Marathon serves both as a window to showcase the city's image and as a practical vehicle for stimulating upgrades in infrastructure, public services, and urban management through high-standard event organization.
"County-level cities can also host international events, but the prerequisite is not pursuing superficial 'bigness.' Instead, it's about finding one's unique characteristics, respecting professional principles, maintaining safety as the bottom line, and forming a long-term mechanism where the government, market, and society collaborate effectively," stated the Bojie Sports representative.
The urban vitality sparked by a single event is significant. In 2025, the Renshou Half Marathon directly generated 330 million yuan in economic impact and indirectly stimulated approximately 620 million yuan in consumption. In 2026, the number of applicants for the race exceeded 250,000. As the event's influence continues to grow, Renshou is further leveraging the traffic effect brought by the Platinum Label status, deploying a "combination punch" strategy led by sports and followed by consumption, which has synergistically boosted local industries such as catering, accommodation, and tourism.
It is understood that on the day registration officially opened last November 10th, all hotel rooms in the county for race day were quickly "booked solid." The event committee specifically set up service points at major transportation hubs in surrounding areas like Chengdu and Meishan, providing comprehensive consultation, guidance, and shuttle services for out-of-town runners.
Statistics show that during this year's event period, county-wide catering revenue increased by approximately 15% year-on-year, hotel occupancy rates approached 100%, and there was a significant spillover effect, boosting accommodation consumption in surrounding towns and districts by over 70%.
The event's impact extends far beyond race day. Over the past nine years, the event has spurred growth in the local running community, from fewer than 1,000 enthusiasts in 2017 to over 200,000 today. The number of running clubs has also increased from 3 to 67. As participation continues to expand, the Renshou Half Marathon has evolved from a mere sports competition into an important vehicle for promoting national fitness and stimulating urban vitality.
During the event, the streets and alleys of Renshou were filled with a festive atmosphere: cheering banners fluttered alongside the course, citizens spontaneously formed cheer squads to shout encouragement, and volunteers provided enthusiastic service, immersing the entire city in the joy of running. "The public has a very high sense of identification and a particularly strong sense of participation in the Renshou Half Marathon. This marathon is no longer just organized by the government; it has become a shared festival for the entire county," Wang Dong said.
"This is my third time participating in the Renshou Half Marathon, and I really like this city," said Chen Xue, a runner from Zigong City, happily.
"Participating in one race, I received a participant's pack, a finisher's pack, and a heartfelt gift pack—all laden with the warmth and hospitality of Renshou," remarked a runner from Shijiazhuang.
From a local race to a World Athletics Platinum Label event, the Renshou Half Marathon has steadily "run" onto a larger stage. Alongside the event's growth, the role of sports in gathering crowds, stimulating consumption, and enhancing vitality for the city is increasingly evident in this county.