The Xiamen Marathon in southeast China's Fujian Province has been rated as a 2021 World Athletics Elite Platinum Label race, according to World Athletics' website.

The Xiamen Marathon, honored alongside the six other world-class marathon majors annually held in Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo, has thus become the second race in China to win this label, after the Shanghai Marathon.

The "World Athletics Elite Platinum Label," the highest level of the current three-level race rating system, signifies the world's top race certification label.

The Xiamen Marathon has run successfully for 18 years since its inception in 2003. Kenyan Moses Mosop's time of two hours six minutes and 19 seconds at the 2015 race is a standing record for the Xiamen Marathon, as well as the best men's marathon result in China to date.

"Xiamen Marathon has contributed significantly to the development of marathons in China over the past 19 years," said Ruan Dunliang, director of Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Sports.

"The 'Elite Platinum Standard' represents a high degree of recognition and also a new mission for Xiamen Marathon, symbolizing a new era for Xiamen Marathon.

"Future efforts will keep focusing on improving the professionalism and internationalization of Xiamen Marathon to bring a higher-quality race to marathon enthusiasts worldwide," added Ruan.