The top three male finishers—champion Tola (center), runner-up Kiplimo, and third-place finisher Luno Daniel (right)—all broke the event record.
On a rare sunny autumn day, the 2013 Beijing International Marathon came to a close, with Ethiopian runner Tola winning the men’s division in 2:07:16. Notably, the top three finishers all broke the event record, which had stood for 27 years.
In the women’s race, Chinese runner Zhang Yingying claimed victory with a time of 2:31:19. Since 1992, Chinese female athletes have never lost this event, marking an ongoing streak of 22 consecutive championships.
Men’s Division
All Top Three Broke Records
The feared smog and cold temperatures did not materialize, and the 30,000 participants enjoyed a crisp autumn day. The race officially started at 8:00 AM, and due to the large number of runners, it took 15 minutes for everyone to cross the starting line.
In the most closely watched men’s full marathon, several African runners maintained the lead from the start at Tiananmen Square, passing through Chang’an Avenue, North Yuetan Street, the Kunyu River, Zhongguancun, and other areas. Ethiopian runner Tola was the first to cross the finish line in Olympic Park Central Area with a time of 2:07:16.
The Beijing International Marathon has been held for 33 editions since its inception in 1981. The men’s event record was previously set by Japanese runner Toshihiko Seko in 1986 with a time of 2:07:35, which was also matched by Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila in 1988. Tola’s winning time improved the record by 19 seconds. Notably, both runner-up Kiplimo and third-place finisher Luno Daniel also surpassed the previous record. This series of outstanding performances brought a perfect end to the 33rd anniversary of the Beijing Marathon.
Tola, competing in Beijing for the first time, was thrilled after his win. “Not being able to participate in the Beijing Olympics was a huge regret for me. I’m grateful to the organizers for the invitation, which gave me the chance to set a new event record in China. I hope to come back next year.”
Women’s Division
Zhang Yingying Won Comfortably
In the women’s race, Zhang Yingying ran with great confidence, taking the lead midway and pulling away in the final stretch. She defeated several strong Kenyan and Ethiopian competitors to win in 2:31:19, extending the winning streak of Chinese female athletes in the Beijing Marathon women’s division since 1992.
At 22 years old, Zhang Yingying started her career early and is a frequent participant in the Beijing Marathon. She won the half-marathon in 2006 and took second place in the full marathon in 2007.
With a personal best of 2:22:38, Zhang Yingying said after the race, “In the final stage, I was running alone in the lead. If someone had stayed with me, the time might have been even better.” Commenting on the weather, she added, “It was perfect for marathon running—very conducive to achieving good results.”
The women’s division of the Beijing Marathon was established in 1989. In the 25 races held so far, Chinese runners have claimed 23 titles. North Korean runner Mun Kyong-ae and British runner Deborah won the first and third editions, respectively, while the rest have been won by Chinese athletes. Renowned runners such as Wang Junxia, Ai Dongmei, Sun Yingjie, Bai Xue, and Wei Yanan have all triumphed in this event. Sun Yingjie won three consecutive titles and remains the female athlete with the most Beijing Marathon victories.
Star Spotting
Sun Yingjie’s “Comeback” Was Just for Fun
Competing in the amateur division, she hinted at plans to return to professional racing
Beijing News (Reporter Fan Yao) Former three-time Beijing Marathon champion Sun Yingjie quietly joined the ranks of the 30,000 participants. This time, she only competed in the half marathon, finishing with an ordinary time of 1:42.
Yesterday morning, Sun Yingjie and her husband Wang Chengrong appeared at Tiananmen Square. Although she had prepared for over two months for this race, compared to her competitive days, Sun Yingjie has gained some weight and was dressed less professionally, looking more like an ordinary running enthusiast. When asked about her expected goal, Sun Yingjie seemed a bit embarrassed. “I’m just here as an ordinary person. I don’t have any specific time goals—participation is what matters. Finishing within five hours is fine.”
From 2003 to 2005, Sun Yingjie won the Beijing Marathon three times in a row and still holds the women’s event record of 2:19:39. Reflecting on her return to the track, she explained that it was simply because she loves running marathons. “I’m very familiar with and passionate about the Beijing Marathon course. I really love running and want to keep this habit going.”
Sun Yingjie revealed that she will also compete in the Hangzhou Marathon in November. In a couple of years, she plans to bring her son to the family run at the Beijing Marathon. “I do have plans to return to professional marathon racing, but I’ll take it step by step and see how my physical condition is. For now, I can only run healthy long-distance events,” said Sun Yingjie.
Interview
Third-Place Finisher: The Weather in Beijing Was Great
To improve the overall speed of the Beijing Marathon, the organizing committee introduced an “Elite Runners Program” this year and invited several international long-distance runners. Coupled with favorable weather, the top three male finishers all broke the event record. Before the race, the event’s official water supplier, Shudaquan, had invited runner Luno Daniel as a favorite to win. He ultimately took third place with a time of 2:07:20, just four seconds behind the champion and one second behind the runner-up. After the race, Luno Daniel gave an exclusive interview to our reporter. He expressed satisfaction with his performance and praised “the great weather in Beijing.”
Beijing News: It must be a bit disappointing to finish just seconds short of the title?
Luno Daniel: Not winning the championship was mainly because I took a wrong turn near the end of the race, which cost me some time. But the third-place result is still good—it was better than I expected. Plus, I broke the previous event record, so not winning first place is not unforgivable.
Beijing News: You’ve run marathons in Mumbai and Toronto. What are your impressions of Beijing?
Bruno Daniel: To be honest, I really liked Beijing. During the race, I passed by many wonderful sights and could feel that it's a beautiful city. Unfortunately, I was here to compete, so I didn’t have much energy to take in the scenery along the way, and most of my time was spent at the hotel, leaving me little time to explore. I think the Beijing Marathon is a very good event, with excellent facilities and great support services along the route.
The Beijing News: What do you think of the weather in Beijing?
Bruno Daniel: Before coming here, I had also heard that the air quality in Beijing isn’t great, but I didn’t see that side of it. Especially during the race, the weather was really nice. It should be said that such good weather helped me a lot, allowing me to perform at my training level and greatly boosting my results.
The Beijing News: As an athlete with a wealth of racing experience, would you like to share some on-the-spot tips with us?
Bruno Daniel: One important thing during a race is to distribute your energy wisely and run according to your own abilities. The second is scientific hydration, which helps neutralize the lactic acid produced during exercise and maintain the body’s electrolyte balance. During this race, I kept hydrating continuously, and it definitely helped with quick recovery of energy, allowing me to have a high-quality run.