On November 9, a delegation of eight runners, under the banner “Sichuan Chengdu Running Team—Embrace Athens”, participated in the Athens Marathon: The Authentic in Greece. This marks the inaugural group participation of Chengdu runners in this historically profound international marathon. Their attendance aims to promote in-depth cultural exchanges between China and Greece through sports.

 

 

Prior to the delegation’s departure, Sichuan Athletics Association held the “Pre-Departure Work Conference for Athens Marathon”, attended by relevant officials of the Division of European Affairs of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Chengdu Municipality, who provided guidance on travel discipline, diplomatic etiquette, and competition safety to ensure a smooth race experience.

 

The delegation comprised members across different ages and genders, ranging from 25 to 55 years old, who competed in the Marathon Race, 10 km Road Race, and 5 km Road Race. Among them, six runners, including Hu Jialing and Xu Changhui, competed in the full marathon, showcasing Chengdu residents’ passion for sports and courage to challenge themselves.

 

Notably, with the support of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Chengdu Municipality, Vice Mayor of Athens Georgios Giannaros met with the runners upon their arrival on November 7. Following the meeting, the runners visited Athens City Hall accompanied by the International Cooperation&Public Relations Department of City of Athens. CEO of Develop Athens Ioannis Georgizas shared, “It was a great pleasure for us to welcome the marathon runners from Chengdu. Their visit has deepened the bond of friendship between our cities.”

 

 

More than merely a sports competition, the participation in the marathon was a journey of cultural exchanges and people-to-people connections. In recent years, Chengdu and Greece have maintained increasingly frequent cultural exchanges. A series of exhibitions, including “Chisel and Memory” Restoration of the Acropolis Monuments Photography Exhibition, “A Glimpse of the Aegean Sea” Photography Exhibition, and A Century of Greek Tourism through Poster Art, were successfully held in Chengdu. In 2025, the Greek film Listen made its first debut in Chengdu Europe Culture Season Film Week, while “The Olympic Spirit” Photography Exhibition provided Chengdu residents with a platform for understanding Greek culture and sports spirit. Adamantia Stoura, an official of Develop Athens, who participated in the recent 2025 Chengdu International Exchange Programme for Friendship upon invitation, warmly welcomed Chengdu Running Team, further deepening mutual understanding and friendship.

 

Greece is the birthplace of the marathon. On November 9 local time, the 42nd Athens Marathon: The Authentic kicked off, attracting over 24,000 participants from across the globe. The race started from the historic town of Marathon and concluded at the magnificent Panathenaic Stadium in central Athens, where the first modern Olympics was held in 1896. The ancient venue and the modern sports spirit seamlessly blended with each other here.

 

Forging friendship through sports events, we measure the profundity of civilizations with our footsteps; forming bonds through running, Chengdu and Athens advance together toward a promising future. We anticipate deeper cooperation between the “Hometown of the Marathon” and the future “World-Famous City of Sports Events” and more remarkable achievements created hand in hand.

 

Edited by Zhang Yuanlin

Source: Chengdu Discovery