Marathoners compete in the 2023 Fenghua Cross-Straits Peach Blossom Marathon held in Ningbo's Fenghua district on March 19. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

The 2023 Fenghua Cross-Straits Peach Blossom Marathon was held in Ningbo's Fenghua district on March 19, local media reported.

More than 12,000 people from 19 countries and regions participated in the event, which comprised a marathon, a half marathon and a 12-kilometer fun run.

Zhao Guohu won the men's marathon with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes and 47 seconds, ahead of the second placed Yang Xiaojun, who finished with a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 24 seconds, but he still failed to break the provincial record - 2 hours, 21 minutes and 25 seconds - Yang clocked at the 2023 Hangzhou marathon.

Lyu Jundan won the women's category with a time of 2 hours, 51 minutes, and 8 seconds.

Meanwhile, Yang Bin finished first in the men's half marathon with a time of 1 hour, 12 minutes, and 33 seconds, while Zhu Tingting was crowned the champion for the women's category with a time of 1 hour, 24 minutes and 7 seconds.

The marathon is now a new calling card of Fenghua district that helps promote the local peach blossom culture and tourism among people from around the world.

Peach flowers blooming along the track. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]