Runners from around the world recently gathered in Dongguan, in Guangdong province, to compete in the 17th Asian Marathon Championships and the Dongguan International Marathon 2019 on Sunday.

The events attracted some 30,000 runners and 42 athletes from 16 countries and regions, the organizers said.

The run was held along major routes and covered Hongfu Road; Dongguan Avenue; the basketball center of Dongguan and Songshan Lake Hi-tech Zone.

Daichi Kamino, a Japanese participant who won the first prize of the Asian Marathon Championships, said that he loved the city, its food, its broad streets and its energetic atmosphere.

The 17th Asian Marathon Championships and the Dongguan International Marathon 2019 attract some 30,000 runners and 42 athletes from 16 countries and regions. CHINA DAILY

As a city of sports, Dongguan's sports history dates back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) when the modern sports was introduced into it.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Dongguan has seen major development of sports industries. And it has won honors in many sports like weightlifting and swimming.

Since the 1970s, the city has played a big part in the sports field. Earlier this year, Dongguan hosted the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2019 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy; the city was also host of the Sudirman Cup world mixed team championships in 2015. And its international sports events have not only injected vitality into the city but also allowed it to progress on the socio-economic front.