Participants cross the starting line in the 2023 Optics Valley Marathon. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The 2023 Optics Valley Marathon was held in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as Optics Valley of China, or OVC), Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, on Oct 28.

Expats from around the nation ran in the marathon. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

Yang Peigang, vice chairman of the Chinese Athletics Association, Shui Bing, head of the Hubei Administration of Sports, and senior officials from Wuhan, Huangshi, Huanggang and Ezhou participated in the event.

Participants run under the Optics Valley sky rail. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

Both the male and female winners – Kipkirui Langat and Ruth Waithira Karanja – were from Kenya, with times of 2 hours 15 minutes 39 seconds and 3 hours 34 minutes 11 seconds, respectively.

The marathon routes winded through the Optics Valley Sci-tech Innovation Corridor, along which a number of scientific research institutions and technology companies are based.

Three volunteers at the marathon cheer for runners. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The majority of runners were technical leaders, intermediate and senior engineers, and professors.

OVC held the half marathon twice in both 2018 and 2019, and this is the first time for the valley to organize a marathon, making Wuhan a metropolis boasting two marathon games annually.