2:00 PM on September 27, 2026.Golden League World SeriesChina legThe Jinshanling Great Wall Trail Race officially started.
As the final stop before the Golden League World Series final, elites gathered here, including domestic runners Yang Chunlong, Chi Lingjie, Luo Peng, and athletes from the Salomon Future Team.
The race distance is about 24 km with roughly 1,889 m of ascent; competitors would experience a roller-coaster-like course on the Great Wall and fight for positions on the Golden League World Series annual rankings.
At Jinshanling today it was 24°C, 79% humidity, light breeze, feeling cool.
At 14:00 exactly the women's elite field started. German Hanna Grober led off the line; the Kenyan runners Caroline Kimutai, Ruth Gitonga and others behind her did not rush to push early.
At 14:20 the men's elites started, with several Kenyan runners occupying the leading positions.
On the women's side, before reaching the CP1 aid station,Caroline Kimutai completed an overtake ofHanna Groeber on the flat. During the subsequent long stair climb, Hanna adopted PowerHiking and stayed tucked behind Caroline's short-stepping running. The two remained locked in battle until they topped the wall.
On the men's side, Kenyan Philemon led, and Yang Chunlong executed his pre-race plan of "secure top eight, aim for top five, push for top three" well, staying with the men's lead group.
Afterwards Switzerland's Joey Harden showed strong form, but Micheal Selelo completed a pass on the long downhill. The two then traded blows. The chasing Philemon Kiriago moved into the lead. Patrick Kipngeno also, in the final moments, caught up toJoey Harden and moved into the top-three positions; the podium fight became a scramble among three Kenyan athletes.
Yang Chunlong steadily followed his plan, sitting seventh after 17 km. He then launched a furious chase and moved up to sixth.
Hanna Grober helda slight lead over Caroline Kimutai; their competition was fiercely close, andRuth Gitonga was alsohot on Caroline Kimutai's heels, applying heavy pressure.。
Patrick Kipngeno grew stronger with every race — at the Jinshanling Great Wall the Kenyan once again took the title, clocking 2:12:29。
Philemon Kiriago also finished with2:14:24 again claiming second place at the China stop。
Having briefly fallen out of the top three,Joey Harden surged back before the finish, taking2:15:42 third placeCoincidentally, this year’s men’s top three matched last year’s order exactly.
Yang Chunlong, meanwhile,finished sixth in 2:19:33,marking the best-ever result by a Chinese man at a Golden Trail World Series stop.
Ruth Gitonga battled fiercely throughout, staging a comeback toHanna Groeber，2:39:47 claim the women’s title. Hanna took2:41:13the women’s runner-up spot.Caroline Kimutai 2:43:33 to take third.
Chinese athlete Chi Lingjie clocked2:51:22, finishing seventh among the women to complete the race.
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Text/Editor: David/Cavendish
Image source: Paoye Dabaozha
Visuals: Max
