In the women's competition, despite a blowout performance by Kenyan runner Sigisin Celestine Jebichiy, the race of Chinese runner Dong Shiyun drew a wild response from the crowd as she crossed the line in second place with a time of 1:19:07, three minutes slower than the winning time.

Dong Shiyun, a 19-year-old local runner, wins second place in the women's group in 1:19:08. [Photo/wxrb.com]

In an interview after the race, the nineteen-year-old Wuxi local said that she has been training hard for the past year and was happy with the result. She hopes to drop three minutes off her time in the next year. Chinese runners performed well in the half marathon taking places fourth through eighth in the men's group and accounting for half of the top eight places in the women's competition.

One highlight of the men's competition was the inspiring performance of Qi Shun, a former Paralympic marathon champion. The optimistic young man stated after the event that he hoped to transmit his passion for running to others with disabilities.

A drone surveys the scene of the half marathon. [Photo/wxrb.com]

Co-organized by Chinese Athletic Association and Wuxi Binhu district authorities, the 2016 Round Lihu Lake International Half Marathon was aimed at promoting public participation in sports.

The top eight runners in both the women's and men's categories received prizes, with first place winning 10,000 yuan ($1,453). The top ten runners in both categories have received direct admittance to the 2017 Wuxi International Marathon.