(UTV | CHINA) – Tributes have poured in online for two of China’s top runners who died after extreme weather hit their long-distance race in Gansu province on Saturday.
Liang Jing, an ultramarathon champion, and Huang Guanjun, a hearing-impaired marathoner, were among 21 people who died in the 100 km race.
“We’ve lost masters of the sport. This is an earthquake for the domestic running circle,” a Weibo user wrote.
The runners got into trouble after the race was hit by freezing temperatures.
Surviving participants said the forecast had indicated there would be some wind and rain, but nothing as extreme as what they experienced.
The mountainous race was halted when some of the 172 runners went missing, and a massive rescue operation was launched.
The regional government has been heavily criticised for the lack of contingency planning, and officials have apologised.