25/07/2026
A Chinese university graduate arrived at his graduation ceremony carrying more than 70 marathon medals across his shoulders.
The student, 24-year-old Jin Yanwei, began running marathons in 2021 while studying at Xi’an Traffic Engineering Institute.
He trained for around 15 kilometres a day and sometimes covered up to 400 kilometres in a single month.
But the medals were not just trophies.
Jin used prize money from races to help cover his living costs and reduce the financial burden on his parents while completing his degree.
During his final two years at university, he ran a total of 7,835 kilometres.
So when graduation day arrived, he carried the medals on a traditional shoulder pole as a symbol of everything he had endured to reach that moment.
Most students walked across the stage carrying a certificate.
Jin carried years of discipline, sacrifice and more than 70 reminders that every step had helped fund his future.
