Chinese joggers brave pollution and deadly driving

A growing number of young men and women in China are shrugging off the hazards of deadly driving and pollution to take up running as a lifestyle and the number of marathons is mushrooming.

TRT World and Agencies

A group of elderly Chinese joggers are pounding along a deserted motorway when suddenly a taxi ploughs into the back of them, knocking them over like skittles.

At least one person was killed and the footage from the eastern province of Shandong went viral on Chinese social media.

Thousands die in road accidents every year in China, making the often congested streets a far from ideal place for running.

Add to that pollution and punishingly high temperatures at this time of year in many places, and even fanatics might be tempted to hang up their running shoes.

But a growing number of young, educated, urban Chinese are shrugging off the hazards to keep fit this way and the number of marathons and running events is mushrooming.

TRT World's Nick Davies-Jones has this report.

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