The port city of Xiamen is set to become the very first Chinese city to host an Ironman Endurance triathlon event.

According to New York Digit, in November 2016, the Ironman and Ironman 70.3, which are the World Triathlon Corporation's (WTC) crown jewel events, will be held in Xiamen, China.

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At the tournament, 15 athletes will qualify to participate in the Ironman World Championship to be stage in Kona, Hawaii, USA in 2017. Another 50 athletes will qualify to take part in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship to take place in Xiamen in the year 2017.

Dalian Wanda Group's acquisition of the WTC in August 2015 gave China a chace to host this world-class competition for the first time.

Wanda, headed by China's richest man business tycoon Wang Jianlin, bought World Triathlon Corp from U.S. fund Providence Equity Partners LLC for $650 million.

Chinese representatives from various cities went to Hawaii for the 36^th Ironman World Championship in October to acquire ideas about hosting the sporting event.

Xiamen was selected after a strict screening process. It stood out for its majestic sceneries, rich sports traditions and serene climate. Xiamen residents are passionate about sports and the city has hosted the Xiamen International Marathon, the most influential marathon event in China, for 13 consecutive years.

The sporting event does not require a stadium or expensive and high labor cost as it is mostly held on city streets or rural trails. Ironman consists of a 3.9 km (2.4 mile) swim, a 180 km bike ride and 42.2 km run, completed in less than 17 hours.

According to SportsPro, Wanda plans to host the event in at least two more Chinese cities as it aims to make Ironman the biggest competition in China.

TagsIronman, Ironman Endurance Triathlon, World Triathlon Corpoartion, China's Richest Man