As the first major sport event since the establishment of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone, the Hengqin Life Hengqin Marathon 2021 will fire its starting gun on Dec 26 in Zhuhai's Hengqin.

The number of this year's runners is limited to 12,000, including 3,000 for full marathon, 6,000 for half-marathon and 3,000 for a mini marathon, according to an opening ceremony held on Nov 6. Now the race has opened for online registration on WeChat official accounts "华发体育 (pinyin: hua fa ti yu)" and "横琴马拉松 (pinyin: heng qin ma la song). The registration time will last till Nov 15.

Runners who have participated in the event for the past 3 consecutive years, and who run in the 2020 Hengqin male marathon in 3 hours and 30 minutes, and who went under 4 hours and 40 minutes in the 2020 Hengqin female marathon, will directly get the qualification after registration.

For COVID-19 safety concerns, only citizens from low risk areas on the Chinese mainland and local Macao residents are allowed to register the race. For runners whose living city is upgraded to a COVID-19 medium or high risk area before the event, his/her qualification will be canceled with

The start and the finish lines are set at the newly-finished Hengqin Financial Island Central Park. The whole track will pass through a number of Hengqin's landmarks and scenic spots such as Hengqin Port, Macao University, Hengqin International Tennis Center, giving a full display of the Cooperation Zone's diverse ecology and rapid development.

Huang Yujie, acting director of the Zone's Livelihood Affairs Bureau, hopes that the race could not only help to advocate a healthy lifestyle and a marathon spirit of persistence, but also show the achievements, charm and vibrancy of this area. Moreover, the race could further enhance sport exchanges with Macao and bring Hengqin closer to more Macao residents, Huang added.

This event is jointly organized by Guangdong Provincial Athletics Association, Zhuhai Huafa Group and Macau Nanguang Group.