Int'l marathon held to celebrate 25th anniversary of Macao's return to motherland

The 2024 Macao International Marathon was held Sunday in Macao to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland.

The event drew approximately 12,000 runners from over 50 countries and regions, comprising professional athletes as well as running enthusiasts.

The race began at 06:00 from the Olympic Sports Center in Taipa, Macao's largest sporting complex, with the firing of the starting gun.

Runners traversed a scenic route that included iconic landmarks such as the Governador Nobre de Carvalho Bridge, Sai Van Bridge, and A-Ma Temple, dedicated to Mazu, the Chinese sea goddess.

In addition to the full marathon, the event featured a half marathon and a mini marathon of approximately 4.5 kilometers. "This year marks the 43rd edition of the Macao International Marathon. We aim to promote tourism through sports, encouraging visitors to not only enjoy our cultural and tourism facilities but also to experience Macao's unique charm through events like this marathon," said Chang Tzu-hsuan, director of the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government.

Local resident Mai Wei-chung, participating for the 12th time, reflected on the changes in Macao over the years.

"This marks my 12th year participating in the Macao Marathon. Witnessing the transformation in Macao's scenery over the past decade reflects the city's burgeoning economy and the enhanced well-being of its residents, as well as advancements in sports and various other sectors," he said.

Portuguese tourist Frederick found the race challenging but rewarding.

"It was a challenge, but I fulfilled my goal. Very happy with that. The weather was very good, and the organization was also good. So I enjoyed it and still repeat next time," said Frederick.

Int'l marathon held to celebrate 25th anniversary of Macao's return to motherland

Int'l marathon held to celebrate 25th anniversary of Macao's return to motherland

A new wave of strong cold front started sweeping across northern China on Sunday, and will continue moving eastward and southward over the next few days, bringing strong winds and big temperature drops in its path.

Meteorological monitoring showed that gales ranging from 39 to 74 km/h occurred in parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, Shandong, Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. In some areas in Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning, temperatures on Monday morning were 6 to 10 degrees Celsius lower than the previous day. The temperature drop was particularly drastic in central and eastern Inner Mongolia, reaching 12 to 18 degrees Celsius.

The Central Meteorological Observatory predicts the cold wave to continue affecting areas north of the Yangtze River between Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to tick downward by 4 to 6 degrees Celsius in most areas.

The northeastern provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang could experience temperature drops of 8 to 10 degrees Celsius, with some places recording a decline of over 12 degrees. Light to moderate snow or sleet are forecast in parts of northeastern Inner Mongolia, northern Heilongjiang, and northern and southwestern Xinjiang.

Cold snap hits north China, bringing sharp temperature drops