The 7th Hainan (Sanya) Marathon began at 7:00 a.m. local time on 28 December at the South Gate of the Sanya Beauty Crown. Runners from 19 countries and regions took part, alongside participants from all 34 provinces and provincial-level regions in China. The event hosted 14,000 runners in total, with close to 68 percent travelling from outside the Hainan Free Trade Port to compete.
A Route Through City and Coast
The race followed the same core route that has become a feature of the event. Runners set off from the South Gate of the Sanya Beauty Crown. The full marathon finished at Sanya Bay Coastal Park, while the half marathon ended at the Tianya Haijiao Scenic Area. The course passed through central coastal areas of the city. Alongside the full and half marathons, the programme included team races and a couples event titled “Running Hand-in-Hand to Tianya Haijiao”. Prize money totalled more than 500,000 yuan and covered six categories, including individual results, course records, Hainan Free Trade Port athletes, couples, teams, and special achievements.
Comprehensive Safety and Medical Support
Organisers put wide-ranging safety measures in place. The event deployed 253 medical staff, 100 AED units, 26 ambulances, and three designated hospitals. This created a layered system covering fixed medical points, mobile teams, and the full race route. More than 3,500 staff supported security and operations, with water stations and mobile services available throughout the course.
Digital Tools Expand Participation
Digital services played a major role in this year’s marathon. Organisers released 30,000 digital commemorative medals, secured through blockchain technology to provide a permanent and verifiable record. Participants claimed these medals through Alipay’s Jingtan and Ledongli platforms. A virtual race also ran on Alipay, DingTalk, and Amap. This online activity generated an average of 4 million views per day and drew more than 27,000 participants, linking remote runners with those on site.
Yang Yong, General Manager of Events and Commercialization at event partner Orange Lion Sports (formerly Alibaba Sports), said, “The marathon supports Hainan’s growth as an international tourism and consumer destination. By connecting resources across the Alibaba ecosystem, we broadened the event’s reach and brought together a global community of runners—both on the ground and online—through integrated digital experiences. Together, we celebrated running and reinforced Sanya’s appeal as a sports and tourism destination.”
