On April 21, at 7:30 AM, the 2024 Huai'an Xiyou World of Adventure Huai'an Marathon and Grand Canal Marathons (Huai'an) officially started. Vice Chairman of the Chinese Athletics Association, Yang Jimin, Deputy Director of Jiangsu Provincial Bureau of Sport, Zhang Haitao, and city leaders such as Shi Zhijun and Qi Shouyu, as well as other leaders and guests, attended the opening ceremony and fired the starting pistol for the race. The race includes three courses: the marathon, half marathon, and health run, with a total of 15,000 participants.

This year, the starting point of the Huai'an Marathon is set at the Huai'an Municipal Government Affairs Service Center. The finish line for the marathon and half marathon is set at the Huai'an Sports Center, while the finish line for the health run is set at the Huai'an Grand Theater. The entire racecourse features wide and smooth road surfaces, surrounded by beautiful scenery and a multitude of historical and cultural landmarks. The juxtaposition of the modern cityscape and the ancient city of Huai'an creates a captivating ambiance. The racecourse also showcases the picturesque university campuses and the charm of the Grand Canal. The "Internet-famous racecourse" is rejuvenated with the integration of characters from the novel "Journey to the West" and the unique characteristics of the city.

In the end, Kenyan athletes KIPKEMBOIENOCK and TUEINAOMI CHEPKORIR won the men's and women's marathons respectively, with a race time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 44 seconds and 2 hours, 34 minutes, and 14 seconds. Gu Yangxu and Wu Haomin respectively won the men's and women's half marathon championships, with a race time of 1 hour, 11 minutes, and 6 seconds and 1 hour, 27 minutes, and 6 seconds.

This year's Huai'an Marathon recruited over 3,600 volunteers. Along the racecourse, there were 24 aid stations and 14 misting and cooling stations. A specialized medical emergency plan was developed, with 28 designated medical stations set up along the racecourse. These stations were equipped with 22 ambulances and 85 automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Over 1,000 medical support personnel were arranged to provide comprehensive and timely on-site assistance and medical support for the participants.