TOPIC

Marathons

Marathons
More than 800 marathons and countless other half marathons take place around the world every year, but only six are classed as world title events - Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.
Leanne Szeto (left) runs the past Shenzhen Bay Control Point during the National Games marathon test event on Sunday. Photo: Eugene Lee
2025 National Games

Ex-triathlete Szeto leads Hong Kong runners across line in National Games test

Leanne Szeto takes third place in women’s race as Shenzhen-Hong Kong Marathon, and officials happy as everything goes smoothly.

2025 National Games

Officials unveil Shenzhen-Hong Kong Marathon test event for National Games

Hong Kong Marathon

Hong Kong Marathon issues warning after man pictured running with woman’s bib

Hong Kong Marathon

Kenya men dominate Hong Kong Marathon, women’s No 1 rues failure to break record

Bethwell Kipkemboi says ‘challenging’ countrymen were a spur; Belarus’ Volha Mazuronak ‘happy with win’ despite failure to beat 2019 time.

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Kenya’s Bethwell Kipkemboi crosses the finish line at Victoria Park to win the Hong Kong Marathon. Photo: Edmond So
Wellness

Hong Kong marathon runner who’s conquered the world now helps others

Hong Kong lawyer and marathon runner Catherine Lau has gone from chasing personal bests to helping others achieve theirs.

Fame and celebrity

Meet reformed Made in Chelsea bad boy Spencer Matthews – and his royal links

Made in Chelsea made a bad-boy star out of real-life rich kid Spencer Matthews; now a family man and charity fundraiser, he runs his own zero-alcohol spirits company

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Rosanna Law Shuk-pui

Mengesha wins Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Half Marathon, runners praise race

Grace Nawowuna takes women’s title as second edition of race resolves problems experienced in the first.

Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha is on his knees after winning the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Half Marathon. Photo: Eugene Lee
Macau

‘Citizen Runner’ among top athletes in Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Half Marathon

Japan’s Yuki Kawauchi, one of 8,000 runners taking part on Sunday, gained fame by winning the 2018 Boston Marathon as an amateur runner.

Wellness

How a marathon runner survived after tearing her body’s largest artery

Things could have turned out very different for Amber Williams, who was diagnosed with aortic dissection days after running a marathon.

‘We all can do it’: 88-year-old completes 12th marathon at Athens’ The Authentic

Ploutarchos Pourliakas’ latest race took place at the site where a messenger ran to bring the news from Marathon battlefield 2,500 years ago.

Ploutarchos Pourliakas, 88, the oldest runner in the 41st Athens Authentic Marathon, after receiving his medal at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
Fame and celebrity

8 celebrities who run marathons, from Oprah and Diplo to Pippa Middleton

From Kate Middleton’s sister Pippa to Ethan Hawke and ultrafit Gordon Ramsay, these are the celebs who committed to the cause and completed a full marathon …

From Diplo and Pippa Middleton to Gordon Ramsay, which celebrities have run marathons? Photos: @diplo, @allaboutgordon/Instagram; @runnersworld/X;

Nervous excitement as Sydney closes in on attaining World Marathon Majors status

City’s 42km race will join New York, London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and Tokyo if it passes the assessment criteria for second straight year.

Wellness

Why runners need to be aware of raised heatstroke risk amid global warming

Experts say race organisers need to be prepared to deal with the risk of a condition that can damage runners’ organs and even kill them.

Icons and Influencers

US Justice Richard Bernstein on the realities of living with blindness

The Michigan Supreme Court judge fought to attend law school, run marathons, overcome a debilitating accident, and champion the disabled and disadvantaged

US Justice Richard Bernstein. Photo: Eugene Chan
Job hunting

What are ‘mad skills’ and why do they matter on a CV? Experts explain

Why should you put ‘mad skills’ on your CV? These attributes, such as a passion for theatre, being a rescue diver, or learning an obscure language, can make the difference when applying for a job.

Having a passion for theatre or learning a foreign language are examples of unusual soft skills, also called “mad skills”, that can make the difference when applying for a job. Photo: Shutterstock
Extreme fitness

Hong Kong bridge half-marathon returns, bosses address food, water, delay issues

Second edition to be held in January, and race chief says improvements have been made since the first race.

Trending in China

China ‘fastest delivery man’ qualifies for Paris ‘people’s’ marathon in Olympics

A delivery worker from China will travel to Paris to take part in a public marathon event in Paris alongside the city’s Olympic Games later this year.

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Sydney Marathon’s bid to join majors list boosted by record 24,000 entries

Race is in the second year of an appraisal process that would lead to it joining the Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York marathons.

Competitors run across the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the Sydney marathon. Photo: Reuters
Trail running and hiking

Ditch that big marathon warm-up – a light jog is more effective, research shows

Having a gentle jog before may be just as effective as a plyometric workout and may help athletes retain vital glyocen stores for longer.

Hong Kong Sports Institute

Muteti sympathises with fellow Kenyans tangled in Beijing Half Marathon mess

Kenyan marathon specialist Lukas Wambua Muteti understands why two of his compatriots might have allowed a Chinese rival to win the Beijing Half Marathon.

Ethiopia

Record-setting Jepchirchir, Munyao make it a Kenyan double at London Marathon

Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir sets a new women’s-only mark of 2 hrs, 16 mins and 16 secs, while Alexander Mutiso Munyao pulls away to beat Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele.

Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir crosses the line to win the women’s race in a world record time. Photo: AFP
Ethiopia

Beijing Half Marathon chiefs strip winner He, 3 others of medals, prizes

He Jie won after Kenyans Willy Mnangat and Robert Keter, plus Ethiopia’s Dejene Hailu Bikila, moved aside within sight of the finish line.

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He Jie (fifth from left) crossed the line first at the Beijing Half Marathon last Sunday. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong Marathon

Was 2019 Beijing Half Marathon also fixed? Video raises questions over finish

A video of the 2019 race shows two Kenyan runners allowing China’s Liu Hongliang to overtake them in a finish similar to Sunday’s race.

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Ethiopia

Beijing Half Marathon runner insists he was hired as pacer, agent denies any role

Kenya’s Willy Mnangat claims he was employed to help winner He Jie break Chinese record, but there is no record of his name among official pacers and agent Karen Lin angrily denies involvement.

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Ethiopia

Kenyan says he let China runner win Beijing Half Marathon amid uproar over finish

Organisers investigate as footage, showing Willy Mnangat beckoning his Chinese opponent to overtake him and two others, attracts widespread ridicule.

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The leading runners appear to let China’s He Jie win the Beijing Half Marathon on Sunday. Photo: Weibo
Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Marathon world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum killed in car crash in Kenya

Coach Gervais Hakizimana also killed after car 24-year-old Kiptum was driving rolls on journey from Kaptagat to Eldoret, police chief says.

Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum celebrates winning the 2023 Chicago Marathon in a world record time of two hours and 35 seconds. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hong Kong can put its best foot forward with a revamped marathon

If Hong Kong encourages every resident to attempt a full marathon at least once in their life, the health benefits would be tremendous. To facilitate this, marathon planners must revisit two aspects – the time limit and route.

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Accidents and personal safety

Runner who died after Hong Kong marathon ‘was mainland Chinese engineer’

Source says man who collapsed near platform escalator at Tin Hau MTR station near finish line in Causeway Bay identified as Zhang Zhichong.

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