BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese city of Yangzhou will bid for the 2022 World Half Marathon Championships, after the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) submitted its letter of intent, the CAA announced on Friday.

The World Half Marathon Championships was first launched in 1992, and has been held biyearly since. Yangzhou expects to become the second Chinese city to host the race after Nanning held the tournament in 2010.

The news comes as the 2019 Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon is set to kick off on April 21. The event was first held in 2006 and granted IAAF Gold Label Road Race status in 2012.

The 2019 edition will attract 35,000 runners from 40 countries and regions.