A woman watches the Nantong International Marathon with virtual reality (VR) glasses on Oct 13. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

The 2019 Nantong International Marathon concluded in Nantong, a coastal city in East China’s Jiangsu province, on Oct 13.

This year’s event saw a record number of participants and the course was the longest in the city’s history. A number of cutting-edge technologies were also showcased during the marathon.

“5G+AI” technology was used to broadcast the marathon for the first time. The opening ceremony was recorded by intelligent cameras and transmitted onto a large screen in the downtown area of Nantong through a 5G network.

According to the Nantong branch of China Telecom, the company set up more than 100 base stations along the route to ensure that the network ran smoothly.

The 5G network was accessible at the start and finish lines of the marathon, as well as at the foot of Langshan Mountain next to the Yangtze River, allowing audiences to watch the game on their mobile phones and admire the natural scenery along the route.

The 5G network has ultra-high transmission rates, enhanced capacity, and reduced latency compared to 4G networks, said an employee of China Telecom.

The company will make full use of the technology during the upcoming 2019 China Forest Tour Festival, which will open in Nantong on Oct 18, he added.