Passionate international runners participating in the 2025 Shanghai Half Marathon, which concluded on April 20, gave thumbs-up to the vibe of the race that featured diversity and inclusion.

Themed "One Step Further", this year's running extravaganza attracted 15,000 participants to compete on the scenic track alongside the city's Huangpu River, which passes some city landmarks, such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, and the New Bund Leisure Park.

Seto Yoshio from Japan, competing in his second Shanghai Half Marathon, attracted much attention by wearing a suit instead of traditional sporting apparel.

"I started to wear a suit while competing in the 2018 Osaka Marathon," said Yoshio, the chief executive officer at Shanghai FTS Cosmetics.

"Sporting this style of attire in competitions helps not only others recognize me, but also attract cheering of 'jiayou', or 'go for it' in English. I think this is an excellent way to facilitate communication and foster camaraderie among participants," he added.

As a member of Luwan Run Club, one of Shanghai's biggest and most influential running clubs, the Japanese runner has high praise for the city's sports atmosphere.

"Shanghai's sports atmosphere is great, with many high-level runners. The number of participants continues to grow, which greatly helps stimulate the development of the sport in Shanghai," he said.

Also a member of Luwan Run Club, Raphael Harry Avraam, competing in his third Shanghai Marathon series race, moved from Shenzhen of Guangdong province to Shanghai less than two years ago to be a teacher at an international school.

"The reason why I chose Shanghai is that there are more marathon races in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region, which is more convenient for me to participate," Avraam said.

"Events like this not only help Shanghai grow the sport, but also boost tourism," he said. "It's a good opportunity for people from other places to explore the city."

As a foreign national who has lived in China for six years, Avraam has built a deep connection with the local community. Therefore, he attended the Sunday race as a charity spot runner.

"I really love running and I live in Shanghai, so I want to support the community," he said.

Shanghai has committed to building itself into a global sports hub, with marathons playing an essential role during the process, and many other sports as well.

Avraam was echoed by Luka Milosavljevic, who created his second-best record on April 20.

"I can tell that sports in Shanghai are at a very high level, with many communities doing a lot of sports, such as cycling, running, and skiing, so I really enjoy doing these activities here," said Milosavljevic, who has lived and worked in Shanghai for two years.

"Marathon is a great way to build new connections with people who share the same interest."

Kenya's Roncer Konga, the competition's defending champion, took the men's title with a time of 1:01:07, while Ethiopia's Ftaw Zeray dominated the women's race in her event debut, setting a new record of 1:06:36.

"It feels great to return to Shanghai and win again. The city's scenery is amazing and the atmosphere is great," Konga said.

China's Xu Shuangshuang finished third in women's race with a time of 1:11:07, earning a place on the podium, and Wang Congzheng was the best finisher among Chinese male athletes, achieving his personal best result of 1:03:21.