Chinese company backs record-breaking Beijing marathon

20 October 2009 | By Adam Fraser

Contract summary

Length of contract: n/a
Annualised value: n/a
Overall value: US$1.5 million

Chinese wool company Hengyuanxiang invested US$1.5 million to sponsor the 29th Beijing International Marathon this weekend, contributing a third of the event's record-breaking sponsorship revenues.

The event, which was also backed by Nike, saw Kenya's Mugo Samuel win the men's race and Chinese world champion Bai Xue win the women's competition. "I am honoured to win the gold for our delegation," said Bai to China Daily.

"The two gold medals are both very important to me, featuring my first victories at World Championships and National Games respectively," she added. "In the next three years, I will have to train systematically and try to keep myself away from injuries in order to get good results at London."

The race has been run every year since 1981. Every women's event has been won by a Chinese athlete since 1992.

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