The 2013 Taiyuan International Marathon started on the 28th, with Botulu from Ethiopia winning the men's full marathon in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 27 seconds, and Alice from Kenya taking the women's full marathon title in 2 hours, 30 minutes and 39 seconds.
The 2012 Taiyuan International Marathon was awarded the "Silver Label Race" title by the Chinese Athletics Association. For this edition, the Taiyuan Municipal Civilization Office issued an initiative with the theme "Passionate Marathon, Civilized Taiyuan People." The race took place along both sides of the Fen River, on Binhe East and West Roads, where spectators could enjoy over 30 traditional cultural performances such as Jinyang Fire Spinning, Waist Drum, and Yangko Dance.
This edition featured five events: men's and women's full marathons, men's and women's half marathons, and a mini marathon. The Taiyuan International Marathon has been successfully held for three editions. The championship results this year were slightly less impressive compared to previous years. The current event record is held by Botano, also from Ethiopia, with a time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 51 seconds.
According to Gao Bo, Director of the Taiyuan Sports Bureau in Shanxi Province, the number of participants in this edition exceeded previous years, reaching over 30,000. Among them, there were 49 international athletes, including marathon enthusiasts from 14 countries and regions such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Morocco, as well as from more than 20 provinces, cities, and autonomous regions across China. The youngest participant was 13 years old.
Gasha Espha, who won the men's championship at the Shanghai International Marathon for three consecutive years from 2008 to 2010, and Fatuma, the women's champion of the 2013 Xiamen Marathon, also participated in this event. It is reported that there were 32 international marathons held in China in 2013, and in the races that have already taken place, the championships were mostly won by athletes from Ethiopia and Kenya.