Sporting enthusiasts get their skates on
Edited by Yang Jian. Subtitles by Yang Jian.
Roller skaters competing in full and half marathons on the Bund on Sunday morning.
The sound of a starting gun launched Asia's first roller skating and running marathon in Shanghai's Huangpu District on Sunday morning.
The event, combining traditional running with roller skating, marks a new chapter in the city's athletic competitions. The race also opened the fourth Huangpu Citizens' Sports Festival.
This year's event drew nearly 5,000 participants from 24 countries. Competitors started at the Bund, passing landmarks such as the People's Square, Huaihai Road M. and the city's old town to experience the cultural and environmental beauty of Huangpu.
The roller skating portion started first, followed by runners. The race included different categories, with roller skaters competing in full and half marathons and a quarter marathon for both skaters and runners. The endpoint for the quarter marathon was at the World Expo Museum.
Young roller skaters race on the Bund.
More than 400 professional skaters worldwide participate to the event.
The international event is part of a global tour promoted by the World Roller Skating Federation, with Shanghai hosting the first of six stops. The top category at this event offers a prize of US$10,000, attracting more than 400 professional skaters worldwide.
Belgian Bart Swings, the speed skating gold medalist from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and a world champion in speed roller skating, clinched the men's professional race title, while Gabriela Vargas from Ecuador secured the women's championship.
In addition to the race, the event featured a charity market with 26 stalls at the museum, with contributions from well-known brands such as Under Armour and Lao Feng Xiang.
The funds raised will support youth sports in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Qinghai Province.
Medical stations were set up along the route to ensure participant safety. Volunteers from local universities supported the event, helping with various tasks from race registration to logistics.
The event is part of a broader strategy to make Shanghai a global city for international sports competitions.
Runners follow the roller skaters to race on the Bund.
