The 2019 Hainan Vertical Marathon International Open was held Monday in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, attracting more than 400 competitors from home and abroad.

Xue Jiandong and Fan Fengjuan, both from Shenzhen in South China, won the men's and women's races after climbing 1,050 stairs of a 37-floor, 168-meter high tower in downtown Haikou.

Xue finished the men's race in four minutes and 32 seconds while Fan finished the women's race in five minutes and 45 seconds. Each were awarded a cup and €600 bonus.

The event was part of a series of vertical marathons held across China, with authorization from the Towerrunning World Association this year.

Vertical marathon, or running the stairs of tall buildings, originated in the United States. It is growing in popularity in more than 90 countries, according to the organizers.