The Shenzhen Nanshan Half Marathon has been awarded the Road Race Label by World Athletics, the global governing body for track and field athletics, which recently released the 2024 World Athletics Label Road Races calendar on its official website.

The World Athletics Label Road Races, divided into four tiers – Platinum Label, Gold Label, Elite Label, and Label – is a grading system for road races worldwide.

The new recognition underscores the Nanshan Half Marathon's professionalism on a global scale, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported.

Established in 2015, the Shenzhen Nanshan Half Marathon is the city's first marathon event organized by a district-level government and certified by the Chinese Athletics Association.

The 2023 edition of the marathon witnessed an unprecedented turnout. On Nov. 26, 16,000 runners set off from Shenzhen Talent Park and passed through various landmarks in Nanshan District, including the Dasha River Ecological Corridor, Shenzhen MixC World, Shenzhen University, Nantou Ancient Town, and Shenzhen Bay Sports Center.

To ensure the safety and smooth execution of the race, the event's organizers collaborated with relevant government departments and developed detailed race plans. They included deploying 150 judges along the route, enlisting 2,800 volunteers to maintain order.

(Chen Siqi)