International Vertical Marathon held at Shanghai Tower
Around 1,000 professional and amateur athletes from home and abroad participated to ascend Shanghai Tower on Sunday.
The individual and group challengers for the International Vertical Marathon ascended 3,398 steps and 119 floors of the 632-meter-high, 127-story skyscraper, the world's second tallest building.
Polish athlete Lobodzinski Piotr, 32, climbed the steps in 17.56 minutes to win the men's group. Australian athlete Walsham Suzy, 44, was the female champion, with 20.44 minutes.
The international stair-climbing races originated at New York's Empire State Building in 1978.The Eiffel Tower and Taipei 101 are among other landmark architecture to follow suit.
Organizers plan to develop the international vertical marathon into an annual sports event in Shanghai, with some proceeds of the contest going to environmental protection programs.
