The 2026 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup’s second stage was set in Beijing’s Changping District on Saturday 25 April. Athletes weren’t just racing against each other; they were taking on the Great Wall of China. Newcastle AC’s Zak Hanna travelled to China to compete at this amazing location.

Zak at the start

The race was held on the Juyongguan section of the wall with most of these stone fortifications date back to the Ming Dynasty. Zak’s very familiar with climbing mountains with walls as the Mournes has a fine one so taking on the Great Wall wouldn’t be a problem for him!

The Changping Uphill race was a short, sharp race – the kind that Newcastle AC’s Zak Hanna excels in. It was a 3.5km individual time trial that with a staggering 509 metres of ascent alongside 157 metres of technical descent. Athletes set off at 10-second intervals so there was nowhere to hide.

Zak had a strong run to finish 11th overall and just 2 seconds outside the top 10.

The Great Wall