(2023) The much-anticipated Shenzhen Marathon featured 20,000 runners on Sunday morning as the annual event finally returned to the subtropical city in Guangdong province after being suspended for three years due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

The government-sponsored Shenzhen Marathon 2022, which was postponed in December, attracted roughly 100 foreign runners from about 25 countries and regions to participate in the event's full and half marathons, according to the organizer.

He Jie, a Chinese professional runner from the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, picked up speed unexpectedly during the last 3 kilometers of the men's full marathon, passing two Ethiopian athletes to finish first with a time of 2:13:29, 21 seconds ahead of the runner-up.

He became the first Chinese runner to win in the men's category of the event, which was originally launched in December 2013.

He, a member of China's national marathon team, said he trained in Kenya last year with foreign runners and had recently completed "effective" winter training.

"I am in good condition today," He told the media after the race. "I am also very confident. I am not afraid to compete with foreign runners."

For the women's full marathon, first place was secured by Adula Askale Alemayehu of Ethiopia, who finished with a time of 2:34:19.

(2018) Attending the Shenzhen Marathon for the first time, He said he was impressed by the beautiful route, which showcased Shenzhen's environmental beauty and its latest developments.(2018) Edwin Kipingetich Koech improved The Shenzhen Marathon´s first ever sub 2:10

The 26-year-old Koech enjoyed a comfortable lead after 25 kilometers and went on to win in 2:09:44. This is his second sub-2:10 run behind his personal best of 2:07:13 achieved in Milan last April. Koech took home a prize of US $20,000.

A leading group of more than 10 runners paced the race in the early stages. Only five men were left when the leaders passed the 20-kilometer mark, and that pack was trimmed to just three runners, Koech his compatriot Samuel Ndungu and Bekele Muluneh of Ethiopia, by the time they hit 25 kilometers in 1:17:09.

After covering the five-kilometer section between 25 and 30 kilometers in 14:41, Koech broke and built up a lead of more than half a minute and never looked back.

Bekele Muluneh improved his PR by 40 seconds to finish second in 2:11:19. Ndungu, a two-time Lake Biwa marathon winner with a PR of 2:07:04, settled for third place in 2:12:15.

Pre-race favourite Seboka lived up to expectations in the women’s race. She won in 2:27:12 to improve on her runner-up finish from last year while taking down the course record of 2:33:25 set by last year’s winner Viktoria Poliudina of Kyrgyzstan.

Seboka broke away from Kenyan veteran Flomena Chepchirchir near the halfway mark and when she passed the 25-kilometer water stations in 1:26:27, the margin had been widened to some 10 seconds.

The 34-year-old Ethiopian kept extending her lead and claimed the convincing win with an advantage of nearly five minutes.

It is Seboka’s second title in China this year as she also won the Dalian International Marathon in 2:28:59 seven month ago. The Ethiopian has finished within 2:30 in each of her three outings in 2018 with a season’s best of 2:25:01 registered in Seoul.

The 37-year-old Chepchirchir, who finished 10th in Shenzhen last year, took second place in 2:32:05, which was her best mark since achieving her PR of 2:23:00 back in 2013. Ashu Kasim of Ethiopia was a remote third-place finisher with a clocking of 2:38:35.