A total of 30,000 runners participate in the 2025 Jiangsu Bank Nantong Marathon on March 23. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

The 2025 Jiangsu Bank Nantong Marathon kicked off at 7:30 am on March 23 at the east side of Nantong Grand Theatre and Nantong Art Museum, welcoming 30,000 runners from around the world.

This event, certified by the Chinese Athletics Association and organized by the Nantong municipal people's government, attracted participants from over 30 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany.

Participants run at the 2025 Jiangsu Bank Nantong Marathon. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

The marathon course is 42.195 kilometers long, with 5,000 for a full marathon, 10,000 for the half marathon, and 15,000 participants for the fun run, respectively, reaching a record high in total registrations.

Stephen Kimbomet Letanto from Kenya clinched the men's championship at 2:19:27, while Divina Jepkogei from Kenya triumphed in the women's category, finishing at 2:42:17.

Participants run at the 2025 Jiangsu Bank Nantong Marathon. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

This event also featured many highlights. Autonomous driving vehicles were employed in distributing race packets and finisher kits, different start zones provided favorable conditions for elite athletes to achieve new records, and the event collaborated with mobile mapping service Gaode Map to launch an electronic map for the Nantong Marathon, providing participants with more convenient navigation services.