Kyrgyzstan, Ethiopian runners win SCO Kunming marathon

Kyrgyzstan's runner Adilet Kyshtabekov and Ethiopian Yidao Yilma Gurara won men's races at the 2017 SCO Kunming International Marathon held December 31 on the shore of Kunming’s Dianchi Lake.

In the men's full marathon, Kyshtabekov finished first in two hours, 23 minutes and 20 seconds, followed by Chinese runners Yang Shaohui and Chen Guojun. Gurara took the men's title for half marathon at 1:06:50.

In the women's full marathon, first place went to Chinese athlete Zheng Wenrong with a time of 2:50:41. Yunnan runner Zhang Deshun secured the women's title for half marathon at 1:15:21.

During the races, volunteers, medical workers, security guards stood ready to provide runners with supporting services.

Around 16,000 people from 27 countries of the world participate in the international marathon, which was kicked off by SCO secretary-general Rashid Alimov.

The SCO Marathon is a mass-scale cultural and sports event organised by the SCO Secretariat in cooperation with the administrations of the Yunnan Province and the city of Kunming and with support from partner companies and volunteers.

The event is aimed at popularising sports and healthy lifestyles as well as the principles of equitable and mutually respectful sports competition.

Source: Yunnan Daily, Chinanews.com, eng.sectsco.org, tass.com