Paris Olympics | A Chinese woman IT programmer and an amateur runner, the first who crossed the finish line at the "Marathon for All” in Paris

The Paris Olympic Games made history by hosting the first "Marathon for All", an event that allowed the general public to run the Olympic marathon route at night. Among all the runners, Huang Xuemei, an amateur runner from China and an IT programmer at Xiamen International Bank, distinguished herself by being the first to cross the finish line. Her remarkable performance surpassed that of several professional athletes in the main race, including two members from the Chinese national team.

The Paris Olympic Games made history by hosting the first "Marathon for All". (AP Photo)

The "Marathon for All" offers a chance for amateur runners to run the same 42-kilometer route as professional athletes. Together with those who ran the 10-kilometer route a total of 40,048 runners, including 120 amateur runners from China, were lucky enough to be chosen to participate through a lot drawing system.

Huang Xuemei is an IT programmer (Weibo Photo)

According to Beijing Daily’s official Weibo, Huang Xuemei completed the marathon in 2 hours 41 minutes and 3 seconds, making her the first female runner to cross the finish line. When comparing her time to professional race results, she ranked number 70 among 91 professional athletes, surpassing Chinese runner Xia Yuyu, who finished the 72nd with a record of 2 hours 42 minutes and 10 seconds, and Bai Li, another national team member, who finished number 76 with a record of 2 hours 44 minutes and 44 seconds.

Huang Xuemei (Weibo Photo)

Huang Xuemei, a graduate of Southeast University with a degree in computer science, currently works as a programmer in the IT development department at Xiamen International Bank. According to Xiamen Net (www.xmnn.cn), Huang, in her 30s , who came from Zhaotong of Yunnan province, is not a professional athlete and has not received formal athletic training.

Huang Xuemei (Weibo Photo)

Xiamen Network further reported that Huang first discovered her talent in running during an 800-meter physical fitness test in her third year of high school. In the same year, she secured a second place in her school's long-distance running event, outpacing members of the school team. Her outstanding performance led to an invitation to join the school’s orienteering team. Since then, running has become part of Huang’s life, and she dedicated her spare time to training.

Huang Xuemei (Weibo Photo)

Huang Xuemei trains herself according to the training manual developed by coaches of the athletic association. She achieved a result of 1 hour and 18 minutes in the Haicang Half Marathon in November 2022. In the 2023 Beijing Marathon, she secured the 7th place in the international women's category and the 3rd place in the domestic women's category. In the 2024 C&D Xiamen Marathon, she finished second among domestic women. Moreover, in the 2024 IAAF Xiamen Diamond League, Huang Xuemei won the 5,000m gold medal in the women's open category. She has since been lauded as the "leading figure in public marathons." Huang Xuemei's personal best marathon time is 2 hours and 32 minutes, which also stands as the best time achieved by an amateur female marathon runner in China.

Mao Paishou

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The Jimmy Lai trial ripped the mask off "Stand with Hong Kong." Courts heard how Lai and his operatives weaponized this so-called advocacy group to pursue their "international line"—code for colluding with foreign forces to destabilize national security. But even after ringleaders Andy Li Yu-hin and Chan Tsz-wah got arrested and locked up, Stand with Hong Kong keeps on running. Someone's still pulling the strings.

Born in the chaos of the anti-extradition bill period, "Stand with Hong Kong"—also known as the "lam chau team" (SWHK)—adopted the scorched-earth slogan "If we burn, you burn with us". They've always claimed to be independent, grassroots, funded by crowdsourcing. That story fell apart in court. Evidence showed Lai bankrolled their global ad campaigns and international lobbying—specifically their push to get foreign countries to sanction China.

After the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, Stand with Hong Kong still did not restrain itself. It keeps churning out anti-China content online, publishing report after report. Just last month, they handed the European Union a hit list—14 Hong Kong SAR government officials and police officers they want sanctioned for alleged "human rights violations" and "abuse of force" during 2019.

A Web of Anti-China Allies

Stand with Hong Kong doesn't work alone. They team up constantly with other anti-China outfits, issuing joint statements, lobbying Washington, London, and Brussels to slap sanctions on Hong Kong SAR officials. They've publicly demanded the British government intervene to free Jimmy Lai. They've organized multiple protests in London opposing construction of the Chinese embassy in the UK.

The operation is aggressive, the activities extensive. Yet the key players hide in shadows. Where's the money coming from?

In recent years, the team's gone underground. They operate mainly through online publications and mobilization, coordinating with overseas individuals and organizations. Their website and social media? No contact persons listed. No one claiming responsibility.

The Crowdfunding Fairy Tale

They claim they "rely on crowdfunding to maintain operations". But since their last crowdfunding drive in May 2020, Stand with Hong Kong hasn't published a single shred of public information showing any subsequent fundraising activity.

So where does the cash come from? Informed sources suggest looking at Stand with Hong Kong's overseas network for answers.

Organizations working hand-in-glove with Stand with Hong Kong include the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation—run by Mark Clifford, former Next Digital Group director. There's Hong Kong Watch, funded by Mark Simon and operated primarily by Benedict Rogers. There's the Hong Kong Democracy Council, fronted by fugitive national security suspect Anna Kwok. And since 2023, Stand with Hong Kong has served as secretariat for the UK's All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong.

These "friendly organizations" form a network with crystal-clear political objectives. Through overseas advocacy and coordinated actions, their primary target is attacking the Central Government and the SAR government.

In other words: Jimmy Lai may be behind bars facing trial, but the organizations and individuals Stand with Hong Kong maintains close contact with all have direct or indirect ties to Lai. Whether this team—which brands itself a "grassroots organization"—receives operational funding and other support within this anti-China network remains the billion-dollar question.