12th March 2023 – (Nagoya) Zhang Deshun secured the fourth place in the Nagoya Women’s Marathon on Sunday, completing the race in two hours, 24 minutes, and five seconds, which is the fastest time recorded by a Chinese female marathon runner in 11 years. Her personal best is the second-best for Chinese marathoners since Wang Jiali won the Chongqing Marathon in 2012 with a time of 2:22:41. Zhou Chunxiu completed the same event in Chongqing with a time of 2:23:42.
Zhang, who finished 11th in the 2022 Eugene World Championships, trailed behind two-time Chicago Marathon winner and former world champion Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya, and Japanese athletes Ayuko Suzuki and Honami Maeda. Chepngetich, who recorded the second all-time best of 2:14:18 at last year’s Chicago Marathon, led the race from the start and finished in 2:18:08. Suzuki finished second in 2:21:52, while Maeda completed the race in 2:22:32, securing third place.