The Ironman Series concluded in Dongguan, where Lingnan charm and triathlon spirit sparked a perfect fusion
――Country Garden2018The Dongguan leg of the Ironman Series has successfully concluded
2018Year12Month16On the morning of, the Country Garden Ironman Series Dongguan leg officially commenced, with nearly2018participants including both domestic and international triathletes diving into the water, kicking off the event. As the final race of the Ironman Series, this competition attracted many renowned high-level triathletes, including Taiwan’s “Zhang Family Team,” Zhou Yantao (Wasabi), and Wang Yihui.500Dongguan Municipal Sports Bureau Director Huang Huihong, Dongcheng Subdistrict Party Committee Chen Xie, Deputy Director of the Dongcheng Subdistrict Publicity, Education, Culture and Sports Bureau and Director of the Dongcheng Sports Management Service Center Zhang Xinhong, Joyrun founder Liang Feng, and Hu Haicheng, Chairman of Ironman Alliance (Beijing) Sports Culture Co., Ltd., attended the opening ceremony.2018After intense competition, Zhang Jiahao won the men’s category with a time of2018hours,
minutes, and
seconds, while Zhang Jiajia claimed the women’s title with a time of2hours,5minutes, and33seconds. Notably, China's professional triathlete Miao Hao, as a special guest performer at the event, achieved the fastest overall time of2hours,23minutes, and12seconds, standing out among all competitors.1The women’s competition was equally fierce. Zhang Jiajia maintained her consistent strength in the swimming segment, exiting the water in just59minutes and50seconds, leading second-place Zhou Ziyuan by
minutes before being the first to enter the cycling segment. Although Zhou Ziyuan made a strong push in the latter part of the race, completing the running segment in21minutes and17seconds, she was unable to overtake due to her earlier swimming gap.10The total competition distance for this event was41minutes36seconds to complete the running leg, but ultimately failed to overtake due to the gap in swimming.
The total competition distance for this event was51.5Kilometers, this is an Olympic-standard distance triathlon. The race consists of1.5kilometers of swimming,40kilometers of cycling, and10kilometers of running. The competition adopts a rolling start format, with athletes entering the water at the Dongguan Rowing Base located in Tongsha Ecological Park. They swim counterclockwise against the water current for1laps; the cycling segment circles Tongsha Reservoir, riding clockwise for3laps, with an elevation gain of approximately40meters per lap;10kilometers of running is divided into2laps, completed in a clockwise direction. The running segment is set along the reservoir, offering beautiful lakeside scenery throughout the course, with the finish line crossed on Sunshine Lawn.
The Zhang family once again took on the Ironman challenge, securing first place in both the men’s and women’s categories.
Among the star-studded lineup of athletes, a brother-sister duo stood out — the renowned Taiwanese triathlon family “Zhang Family,” namely Zhang Jiajia and Zhang Jiahao. Led by their father, the three Zhang siblings formed the well-known “Zhang Family” that we’ve come to admire. With impressive results and humble personalities, they’ve earned a great reputation and have become regulars at mainland triathlon events. In this race, Zhang Jiajia claimed the women’s overall championship, adding another trophy to the Zhang Family’s collection.
The Zhang siblings are true fans of the Ironman series, having participated in the Huangshan, Zhengzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai stops, all achieving top rankings. When asked about their passion for the Ironman events, Zhang Jiahao shared: “The reason I signed up for Ironman is partly due to my love for the competition, but what really attracts me is the atmosphere at the event and the scenic routes near the attractions — perfect for post-race travel.”
Dongguan unveils a new urban sports emblem, with Wang Yihui leading Guangdong athletes to outstanding performance
The arrival of a branded event in Dongguan has proven highly attractive to triathlon clubs in southeastern coastal cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Dongguan. Wang Yihui, founder of Shenzhen Little Chicken Run Club and a prominent figure in local triathlon circles, achieved third place in the men’s overall standings with a time of2hours,9minutes, and45seconds, also securing the best result among Guangdong athletes in this race. After crossing the finish line, Wang Yihui commented: “We often train at Tongsha Ecological Park, which boasts excellent natural conditions — I believe it’s the most ideal venue for a triathlon in Guangdong Province.”
Dongguan’s sports brand is renowned nationwide, from its titles as the National Weightlifting Capital, Swimming Capital, Dragon Boat Capital, and Chinese Chess Capital, to its status as a National Basketball City. Numerous high-profile sporting events continue to thrive here. The successful hosting of the Ironman series stop in Dongguan is inseparable from the strong support of the Dongcheng Subdistrict Office, which mobilized resources from multiple departments including sports, public security, traffic police, medical services, forest farms, and reservoir management to ensure the event’s safety and smooth execution.
“Dongguan possesses the beautiful natural environment of Tongsha Ecological Park, coupled with the comfortable winter climate of southern China — making triathlon a perfect fit for Dongguan and Dongcheng. The city has a solid triathlon community base, especially as it integrates the iron will into the urban spirit, enhancing vitality and encouraging more citizens to take part in the sport. This helps create a new urban sports emblem for Dongguan, attracting triathlon enthusiasts from across the nation and around the world to compete and travel here,” said Huang Huihong, Director of the Dongguan Municipal Sports Bureau, during a press interview.
It is reported that Dongcheng is also actively exploring a development path for the “sports+tourism” model.
The Ironman series remains true to its original mission — using the power of sports to change the world
In addition to the main event on the day, the Ironman series also held the Iron Kids Challenge on15, with nearly100children aged6-11completing a3.5-kilometer run-bike-run race and earning their own little hero medals and capes. From adult races to children’s events, the Ironman series is committed to building platforms that allow more people to experience the charm of triathlon up close and to participate in the sport, using the power of athletics to transform themselves and the world.
From2016to the present, the Ironman series has made its mark in cities including Huangshan, Zhengzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, and now Dongguan. As the event continues to expand into new locations, it influences and changes people’s lives and perspectives. Hu Haocheng, Chairman of the Triathlon Alliance, remarked: “Triathlon competitions are not only arenas where elite athletes compete for medals, but also stages where ordinary people surpass themselves and become the best versions of themselves. The power of sports to transform the world lies in how a healthy and positive lifestyle can energize individuals, influence cities, and reshape the spirit of a nation — even the world.”
Country Garden2018The Xuan Tie Series Event in Dongguan was hosted by Ironman Union (Beijing) Sports Culture Co., Ltd., guided by the Dongguan Municipal Sports Bureau, and co-organized by the Dongcheng District Sports Management Service Center of Dongguan and the Dongguan Triathlon Association.