Down the finish line adjacent to the Suzhou Creek in Shanghai's Changning district, Annelise Boluen slowly adjusted her breath to calm down, just after concluding the 2025 Shanghai Women's Half Marathon on March 9.

As a French runner with five years of experience, Boluen is a member of Luwan Run Club, one of Shanghai's biggest and most influential running clubs. However, this was her first participation in the Shanghai Women's Half Marathon and she said it's a great idea.

"I raced [the] Shanghai Marathon in December and it was my first half marathon today," Boluen told China Daily. "It was really amazing, really well organized and it was really nice to run with all the females."

Overwhelmed and encouraged by cheering of "Jiayou," or "go for it" in English, Boluen created her half marathon personal best at 1:41:31. She praised the city's unique sports atmosphere.

"I'm impressed like every Chinese [is] kind of sporty. You can see in the park where everyone is doing some stretching, tai chi, yoga, and it's pretty good," she said. "It's different from Paris. It's less competitive, it's more about having a healthy style. It's only in Shanghai."

As the opening event of the Shanghai Marathon series races in 2025, this competition attracted a total of 7,000 female runners.

"I believe this event serves as a captivating platform to showcase the strength and spirit of women in the new era. Hopefully, I have the opportunity to experience the race next time," said Chinese swimming world champion Tang Qianting during the opening ceremony.

This year's event features two races, a 5-kilometer fitness run and a 21-kilometer standard half marathon, with their final stops at the Shanghai Zoo and Zhongshan Park, respectively.

The routes were designed to run through some of Changning district's most important commercial areas, such as Hongqiao's Gubei and Zhongshan Park, and other cultural attractions, according to Zhou Bo, the deputy director of Administration of Sports in Changning district.

"The event aims to seamlessly integrate sport with business, tourism, culture and exhibitions, boosting the regional economy and building it into an international level event," said Zhou.

According to the organizing committee, after three hours and 10 minutes, the completion rate for this event reached an impressive 99.28 percent.

In the half marathon, Zhao Yanli from China crossed the finish line with a time of 1:15:49, claiming the championship. "It's an honor to represent women in this race," Zhao said. "Running along the Suzhou Creek and Zhongshan Park, with such breathtaking views, made my experience even more unforgettable."

Zhao wasn't the only one. Among those captivated by the beautiful scenery along the race route was Eynullayeva Nilufar, a graduate student at East China Normal University from the Republic of Azerbaijan.

"This is my third time attending the game. I run it every year, it's always my favorite one because every time, I make the best result," said Nilufar.

"It's very convenient to run here near the Suzhou Creek and Zhongshan Park. The sports atmosphere is great [in Shanghai] but a little bit competitive. It's always very hard to join the races because of the [crowded] registrations and drawings."

In 2024, a record-breaking total of 257,854 people registered for the Shanghai Marathon, China's sole candidate race for the Abbott World Marathon Majors, including the marathon and fitness run.

Wei Pulong, president of Hefei Marathon Sports Association, said Shanghai's vibrant sports culture and history and widespread global impact have fostered the development of its sports events.

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