World

Beijing Marathon back after two years with covid curbs

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About 30,000 runners, some wearing face masks, took part on Sunday in a chilly and smoggy first Beijing Marathon since 2019 after Covid cancelled previous races. It was the first major sporting event in the Chinese capital since the Winter Olympics in February.

China continues to adhere to a strict zero-Covid policy, with harsh lockdowns, quarantines and testing regimes imposed after even the smallest outbreaks. As a result, only people living in Beijing were allowed to take part in the race, unlike previous editions, which had attracted foreign runners.

Some runners kept their face masks on for the race.