Indigenous Runners Win Great Wall Marathon

Five Indigenous Mexican athletes won medals at the 23rd Great Wall Marathon in China. Runners from the Rarámuri and Mixtec nations competed in the 42 and 21 kilometer races at Huangyaguan, a section of the historic wall about 130 kilometers from Beijing. Antonio Ramírez Hernández, a 28-year-old Rarámuri runner, won the 42 kilometer marathon, while Miriam Morales Hernández, age 20, set a new record in the 21 kilometer race with a time of one hour, 38 minutes, and 49 seconds.

The athletes come from communities where running is deeply tied to cultural resistance and physical endurance. They adapted from running in mountain terrain with traditional huarache sandals to racing on asphalt. The runners are part of “México Imparable,” an initiative launched by President Claudia Sheinbaum to support Indigenous athletes and increase visibility for Mexico’s original peoples.

Despite their success, the athletes noted the difficulty of adjusting to the time difference and the challenges of running on paved surfaces. They also expressed the profound personal connection to running, with one runner describing it as a way to cope with grief. The initiative continues to support athletes from these communities.