Some of the toughest athletes in the world took part in a qualifier for the 2017 Ironman World Championship, held in the southeast Chinese city of Xiamen on Nov 13.
Australian Josh Amberger and South African Jeanni Seymour won the men's and women's titles of the 2016 Ironman 70.3 Xiamen, which consisted of a 1.9-km swim, 90-km cycle, and 21.1-km run . The 70.3 refers to the number of miles covered during the race.
Josh Amberger celebrates his victory at 2016 Ironman 70.3 Xiamen on Nov 13. [Photo by Jiang Kehong/Xinhua]
Amberger finished in a time of 3 hours 56 minutes and 51 seconds, and Seymour finished in a time of 4 hours, 24 minutes and 3 seconds.
Jeannie Seymour crosses the line to win the women's title at the 2016 Ironman 70.3 Xiamen. [Photo by Jiang Kehong/Xinhua]
Nearly 2,200 athletes from 57 countries and regions took part in the grueling event.
The course wound its way along Xiamen's picturesque coastline, and past the city's international Conference and Exhibition Center.
Winner Josh Amberger, runner up Tim Don, and third place Justin Metzler take to the podium at the 2016 Ironman 70.3 Xiamen. [Photo by Jiang Lin Shanchuan/Xinhua]
The Ironman brand is owned by the World Triathlon Corporation, which was acquired by Chinese real estate and entertainment giant Wanda Group in August 2015.
Women's winner Jeanni Seymour waves to spectators, as runner up Sarah Piampiano, and third place Lisa Roberts accompany her on the podium. [Photo by Jiang Lin Shanchuan/Xinhua]
Wanda pledged to popularize the challenging sport across the country after the acquisition, as more and more young people seek out healthier lifestyles. Hefei, the capital city of Anhui, and Xiamen, a regional business hub in Fujian both hosted Ironman 70.3 events this year.
China announced and implemented on May 15 a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.
China and Georgia are set to waive visa requirements for travelers starting May 28.
