Half Marathon on Sunday, Shanghai Marathon One Step Closer to Majors

The 2026 Shanghai Half Marathon will be held on Sunday, gathering 15,000 runners who will start their 21-kilometer journey from the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in the Pudong New Area at 7am.

Coming into its 10th edition, the event will continue to witness the participation of international elite athletes, including Kenyan runner Bethwell Kipkemboi.

"My friend recommended this event for me," said Kipkemboi. "I know it's a beautiful city with great event organization, and I'm looking forward to my race on Sunday."

The runners will set off to the sound of three separate starting guns. The route covers various Pudong landmarks, including the Lujiazui financial area, the Shanghai Expo site, and the Qiantan area, before the runners cross the finish line at the Oriental Sports Center.

A new prize has been set this year for breaking the course record. The runner with the best performance among those who break the record will receive 20,000 yuan (US$2,898).

The top 200 male finishers and 100 female finishers will gain entry to the 2026 Shanghai Marathon.

Meanwhile, the Abbott World Marathon Majors announced this week that the Shanghai Marathon has successfully passed the first phase evaluation in the 2025 candidate event assessment.

According to the review process, the next key assessment will take place during the 2026 Shanghai Marathon on December 6. If the event meets the standards again, it will officially join the World Marathon Majors system next year.