More than 3,000 young competitors took part in the 2020 Spartan Kids Race Shenzhen on Saturday as the race, postponed due to COVID-19, returned in its fourth edition in the city.

The competition is composed of three age groups - 4-6, 7-9 and 10-14 - which must respectively surpass 12 obstacles (1.9 kilometers), 18 obstacles (3.3 kilometers) and 24 obstacles (4.3 kilometers). The race route wound through the Huaqiaocheng ecological and tourism resort in the eastern city, which features natural landscapes, animals and recreational facilities.

China is emerging as hotspot for the kids Spartan race as the first kids race in China in 2017 welcomed over 1,000 young racers, setting a worldwide record for the most participation ever in a kids Spartan race.

Qi Ming, who took his son to the Ningbo and Shanghai race in November, said his boy was over the moon after collecting the three-colored medal, the honor for those who complete three different legs during a calendar year, and that he has made improvement at each of the races.

Dou Xinxin, a student from Shenzhen who used to perform poorly in physical education, finished her first Spartan race on Saturday. Her parents sent her to the Spartan training camp before the competition and the girl discovered another side of herself.

The race landed in China in 2016, and 2020 has witnessed another eight legs in the country with four in Beijing (August and October) and one each in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai and Xiamen.