Qi Min, the pre-race favourite and a local boy, dropped out at 80km (MGU) having hone out too fast.
Qi Min is a product of national state sports school
system, which developed him into an elite marathoner, with a 2:16 PB. He won
multiple road marathons in China before switching to trail ultras at the age of
26. Since the setback at Gaoligong Qi Min boinced back, coming second at 2018 OCC at UTMB, and winning Hong Kong 100 in a new course record. He finished the 2018 ranked second in the world by Ultra Trail World Tour.
