The Bank of China Yangzhou Half Marathon 2026 began at 7:30 am on March 29. As the title sponsor and exclusive designated bank, Bank of China provided comprehensive support for the event and its 23,000 runners, supporting the marathon's debut as a World Athletics Platinum Label race and helping participants achieve record-breaking performances.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the event saw significant upgrades by integrating three events for the first time this year — the Yangzhou Half Marathon, the East Asian Half Marathon Championships, and the Grand Canal Marathon Series. The male and female champions both set the fastest half-marathon times ever recorded within China, finishing in 00:59:11 and 01:06:27, respectively.

The race started at Yangzhou Civic Center Square, passing landmarks such as Dongguan Street, Slender West Lake, Daming Temple, Yangzhou Grand Canal Theater, Qujiang Park, Geyuan Garden, and Ho Family Garden along the scenic 21.0975-kilometer course.

BOC volunteers beat drums to cheer on runners near the Wenchang Pavilion.

At the Marathon Expo, BOC set up dedicated areas for financial services and precious metals displays, alongside interactive activities such as pitch-pot, ring toss, and AI-powered photo experiences. BOC's post-race service area provided runners with rest and post-exercise recovery.

BOC's multilingual volunteers, fluent in English, French, Russian, and other languages, provided international runners with services such as event guidance, emergency communication, and financial advice.

BOC's booth at the Yangzhou Half Marathon Expo.

BOC provided consumption discounts totaling RMB 150,000 across sectors such as sports and fitness, dining, cultural tourism, and health services. These incentives benefited both runners and the broader Yangzhou community.

BOC actively worked to translate the event's momentum into added impetus for local economic and social development. BOC organized a series of activities in Yangzhou to enhance volunteer services, promote employment, and assist private enterprises in expanding globally, building a comprehensive financial service ecosystem around the marathon.

The "20 Years of YANGMA" drone show takes place over Mingyue Lake.

Jiangsu province's "Travel with Events" consumption-boosting series and the forum for Yangzhou's race economy and sports industry cluster development were held in Yangzhou on March 27. The event was co-hosted by Bank of China, the Yangzhou Sports Bureau, and other organizations.

At the event, BOC's Yangzhou branch signed financial agreements with seven key sports and related enterprises, providing targeted financial support across the sports industry value chain, including cultural tourism integration, smart equipment, and sports manufacturing.

Bank of China provided over RMB 1 billion in comprehensive financial support for the Slender West Lake scenic area and related cultural tourism projects, as well as RMB 300 million for ecological leisure projects in the Mingyue Lake area and Yangzhou's western area. With a green credit balance exceeding RMB 27 billion, BOC has been committed to protecting the Grand Canal's ecosystem.

Bank of China will continue to support marathon events with its financial services and professional expertise, contributing to the beauty of nature, culture, sports, and development.