January 11, 2026 — as the world's first World Athletics Elite Platinum Label event of the year, the Xiamen Marathon concluded to widespread attention. According to the latest statistics, the number of sub-3 finishers (completing within 3 hours) stood at 2,372. Competitive standards remained high, demonstrating the Platinum Label pedigree. Having 2,372 sub-3 results in the opening race of the year — maintaining such a large scale of elite finishers — once again cements the Xiamen Marathon's status as one of China’s and the world’s premier speed destinations for mass runners. This indicates that the depth of high-performing mass runners domestically has stabilized: sub-3 has shifted from a 'myth' to a standard expectation among high-level recreational runners. #A must-read for runners #Xiamen Marathon kicks off #Run Xiamen Together #Trail Running Boom