Chinese athletes Chen Jiadong and Qiu Tian won respectively men's and women's champions at the Shangri-La International Duathlon Challenge in southwest China on Sunday.

The Duathlon Challenge on Sunday is one of the extreme sports events held at the highest elevation in China. Participants need to finish running and bicycle-riding along the course that is 3,300 meters above sea level on average, a great challenge to people's strength and endurance.

Around 200 athletes from seven countries and regions have come to Shangri-La to attend the International Duathlon Challenge as individuals and teams. They started from the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery and ran 10 kilometers before switching to bicycles for a 35-kilometer race round the lake. After that, the athletes will run five kilometers through the ancient Town of Dukezong before they finish the race.

At men's group, Chinese athlete Chen Jiadong won the title by finishing the game in two hours, three minutes and 33 seconds. After the game, Chen said that he almost felt "desperate" on the long slope of the first 10 kilometers considering the elevation, but he stuck it out to the end.

Qiu Tian who also comes from China has won the women's group. "It is indeed a tough challenge for duathlon at such a plateau. But it's worth it because scenery in Shangri-La  is fantastic, especially at about 15 kilometers of the bicycle race. Clear sky decorated with white clouds reflected on Napa Lake, it's so beautiful," said Qiu.