THE 2025 Shenzhen Marathon will be held concurrently with the 12th National Paralympic Games and the 9th Special Olympics’ marathon event Dec. 7. This novel model — both races will use the same course with a staggered start — aims to promote inclusivity, improve operational efficiency, and streamline logistics, organizers announced at a press conference Thursday.

The Paralympic marathon will begin at 6:30 a.m., followed by the Shenzhen Marathon at 7:30 a.m., both departing from the Civic Center in Futian District. The route will pass key landmarks, including Shennan Thoroughfare, Wanghai Road, and Qianhai Thoroughfare, and finish at Haibin Square in Bao’an District.

Organizers said sharing security, medical services, volunteer teams, and parts of the officiating staff will significantly reduce costs. Shared infrastructure and supplies will also help make the events more sustainable.

Participants will receive a specially designed gear bag with a separate shoe compartment and ergonomic straps to balance storage, comfort, and safety. Race packs include a Li-Ning sports T-shirt, Vaseline, kinesiology tape, energy gels, sunscreen, and other essentials.

Finishers will receive a custom sling bag, commemorative medal, shower gel, sandals, and a towel. Additional perks include Honor headphones, beverages, fitness session vouchers, and custom capes.

To support runners during the race, organizers will set up more than 20 water and food stations and seven misting stations. Supplies — ranging from beverages, bananas, and cherry tomatoes to energy gels and salt tablets — total more than 1 million units.

A robust medical system will be in place, with 30 first-aid stations, 32 ambulances, and nearly 500 medical staff along the route. AEDs will be available throughout.

Cutting-edge technology will also be deployed. Service robots will distribute water and energy supplements via QR-code scanning along the route. Medical robots will carry out rapid health screenings, measuring eight key indicators like heart rate and blood pressure, within three minutes and sync data to runners’ health profiles to help mitigate race-day risks.

AI imaging systems will automatically capture race highlights and generate personalized vlogs for post-race download, and drone-mounted misting systems will provide additional cooling for participants.

(SD News)