The 2017 Shenyang International Marathon took place in Shenyang, Northeast China’s Liaoning province on Sept 24, with three runners from Kenya winning the top three medals in the men’s race.

This year's event consisted of four parts, namely a full marathon (42.20 kilometers), half marathon, 10-kilometer marathon, and a mini marathon (5 kilometers).

Around 20,000 people from 16 countries and regions participated in the international marathon, of whom, 4,000 took part in the full marathon. The number of participants and the scale of the event hit a new record for Shenyang, which has hosted three consecutive marathons since 2015.

Following fierce competition, Lagat, an athlete from Kenya, won the men's group with a time of 2 hr 25min in the full marathon. He was followed by another two competitors from Kenya.

Li Dan from Northeast China’s Liaoning province won first prize in the women’s full marathon; and the second and third prizes were also won by Chinese athletes.

The marathon provided an opportunity for runners to enjoy Shenyang's beautiful scenery along the Hunhe River; and it also provided participants with a unique experience as the race was on a newly-built professional marathon race track.

With long-distance running becoming increasingly popular in China, the Shenyang event, sponsored by the government of Shenyang and Chinese Athletics Association, serves as a platform to promote Shenyang’s city profile.

Runners leave the starting line of the 2017 Shenyang International Marathon in Shenyang on Sept 22. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Runners wave to the camera during the 2017 Shenyang International Marathon in Shenyang on Sept 22. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Runners hold hands during the 2017 Shenyang International Marathon in Shenyang on Sept 22. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Runners compete against during the 2017 Shenyang International Marathon in Shenyang on Sept 22. [Photo/Chinanews.com]