Shanghai Marathon Becomes Abbott World Marathon Majors Candidate

The Shanghai Marathon will be China’s candidate for inclusion into Abbott World Marathon Majors membership starting in 2027, replacing the Chengdu Marathon.

Shanghai joins the Sydney Marathon and Cape Town Marathon as races introduced into the candidate program by Infront. Should any of the races be successful in meeting a three-year criteria period, they would join Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City as members of the AWMM.

“AbbottWMM is delighted to welcome the Shanghai Marathon into the candidacy process from 2024,” said Dawna Stone, chief executive officer of Abbott World Marathon Majors. “This presents an exciting opportunity to expand our impact into Asia/China and further our mission to create, grow and support opportunities for all to discover the power of the marathon community. We look forward to working closely with the team in Shanghai as we start this journey together.”

Founded in 1996, the Shanghai Marathon has been held 27 times. The candidacy also sees Infront entering a strategic partnership with the marathon.

“With the on-going candidacies in Sydney and Cape Town, Infront has a lot of expertise to share,” said Hans-Peter Zurbruegg, senior vice president, active lifestyle at Infront. “The Shanghai Marathon will inspire hundreds of thousand runners in China and globally, contributing to a healthier and more active lifestyle across generations while showcasing Shanghai as a modern global city.”