Women runners dash to the starting point under the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Shanghai yesterday before taking part in a stair-climbing competition to celebrate the first day of 2017. The event attracted more than 1,000 competitors racing to reach a platform 259 meters above ground level. The race symbolized the hope of rising high in life and work during the new year. — Zhang Suoqing

Shanghai welcomed 2017 with a wealth of activities that looked forward to a year of health and fitness.

A stair-climbing competition at the Oriental Pearl TV Tower attracted more than 1,000 participants at 9am yesterday with competitors tackling its steps to reach a platform 259 meters above ground level.

The Chinese tradition of “climbing high” at the beginning of the year represents a wish to reach new heights in personal lives and careers.

Li Qikuan won the men’s event in just one second over 11 minutes, while Xie Jiahui was the first woman home in 13 minutes and 23 seconds.

Among the local athletes taking part were the former table tennis world champion Wang Liqin and synchronized swimming Olympic silver medalist Huang Xuechen.

Wang, now table tennis and badminton director at the Shanghai Sports Bureau, said: “The National Games will be held (in Tianjin in September) this year. I hope my participation in high-climbing will bring good luck to Shanghai’s sports teams.”

In Jiading District, a “Run The Track” event brought 8,000 runners to the Shanghai International Circuit where they ran round the 5.4-kilometer circuit four times. The event, in its third year, is the only running activity to be held on a Formula One track in China.

The track is shaped like the Chinese character shang, meaning “up” and organizers hope the activity serves as an enterprising start to the New Year for participants. Top finishers were awarded with quotas for the 2017 Athens Marathon and F1 Chinese Grand Prix tickets.

Runners were encouraged to bring spare winter clothes to the circuit, to be cleaned and donated to 300 needy families in Guizhou Province.

Other running activities in the city included the Dishui Lake New Year Run in the Pudong New Area, and the Jing’an New Year Run.