20,000 runners participate in 1st Lidingoloppet China

CHANGCHUN, Northeast China, June 21 (Xinhua) -- About 20,000 runners from 15 countries and regions took part in the first Lidingoloppet China, a cross-country race, here on Saturday morning.

As an important part of Changchun summer relaxation festival, the first Lidingoloppet China consists of 30 kilometers elite racefor athletes and 15km, 7.5km, 2.5km races for the ordinary people. Approximately 20,000 runners took part in this cross-country race.

"Lidingoloppet is a good way for people to keep fit," said Zhang Faqiang, vice president of Chinese Olympic Committee. According to Zhang, exercises like swimming, bicycling, running, which do good to people's health, should be held many times each year.

Chinese Wang Zemin and Xu Junliang beat other rivals to win men's and women's 30km elite race respectively, and also won the tickets to Lidingoloppet which will take place in Sweden in September this year.

The annual Lidingoloppet, which made its debut in 1965, is one of the biggest cross-country races in the world. The race takes place on Lidingo of Sweden and attracts more than 30,000 participants all over the world each year.