Athletes compete in Hefei half Ironman race

Ironman 70.3 Hefei athletes wait to begin the 1.2-mile (1.9 km) swim race on Sunday morning. [Photo by Zhu Lixin/China Daily]

A Half Ironman race was held in Hefei, capital of East China's Anhui province, on Sunday.

The race, officially named as Ironman 70.3 Hefei, was organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), which is headquartered in the United State.

The race consisted of a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) swim, 56-mile (90 km) bike ride, and a 13.1-mile (21.1 km) run. The Hefei event attracted more than 1,600 athletes from 58 countries and regions around the world, with more than 600 of them being foreigners.

The top 50 finishers will get the chances to compete in the upcoming Ironman World Championship, which is held annually in Hawaii's Kailua-Kona by the WTC.

A WTC spokesperson said it was the first time an Ironman race had been held in China. The company was acquired by the Chinese Wanda Group in 2015.