In recent years, marathons held all over China have emerged as a new way to local regions to gather revenue. Contestants come not just from within China, but all over the world. In particular, African runners from countries like Ethiopia and Kenya are strong contenders. But the road to success is a rocky one: The contestants pay their own travel costs and an agent’s fee. If they can’t get the cash prize for a top-3 finish, they’re likely to end up in debt. In this episode, we run with these African contestants aiming for prizes in China.https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/asiainsight/20190621/2022272/