Yesterday morning, the 2024 Huzhou Marathon kicked off at the Taihu Lake Longemont Paradise. The race was officially started by Yu Zaiqing, an IOC member and vice chairman of the Chinese Olympic Committee, Lian Kunming, deputy secretary of the CPC Huzhou Municipal Committee and acting mayor of Huzhou, Mao Genhong, deputy director of the Sports Bureau of Zhejiang Province, and city leaders Jin Kai and Wu Wei.

At 7:30 AM, with the sound of the starting gun, led by Olympic champions Zhang Nan, Zhang Hui, and Wang Liping, approximately 15,000 full marathon, half marathon, short-distance, and fun run participants dashed forward. They used their running steps to "measure" the city of Huzhou, fully experiencing the essence of the Huzhou track - "green", and deeply appreciating the ecological beauty, historical and cultural heritage, as well as the achievements of modern urban development in Huzhou.

Themed “Green Movements at Huzhou Marathon, Running towards the New”, Huzhou Marathon is a Class A1 event certified by the Chinese Athletics Association. The marathon consists of four categories: full marathon, half marathon, short distance run, and Fun Run. The 42.195km full marathon starts from at the Taihu Lake Longemont Paradise in Taihu Lake and finishes at Huzhou Sports Center. The other three divisions start and finish at the Taihu Lake Longemont Paradise both.

Building on the success of the inaugural Huzhou Marathon last year, the 2024 Huzhou Marathon has been scaled up, with a university race added and the track layout optimized and enhanced. The number of participants has reached a new high.

After the opening ceremony, Lian Kunming and others also visited the 2024 Huzhou Marathon Intangible Cultural Heritage and Cultural Consumption Expo. Exhibits featuring intangible cultural heritage items such as Huzhou Ink Brushes, Plum Blossom Cakes, Glutinous Rice Cakes, Lvshan Paper Quilling, and Wood Carvings were showcased. Additionally, time-honored brands like Ding Lianfang, Zhou Shengji, and Zhenyuan Tong also made their appearances, showcasing the intangible cultural heritage and urban charm of Huzhou to the marathon runners.