This year, 172 people participated in the 62-mile race, while hundreds of others were registered to run in shorter events. Officials said 151 race participants were confirmed to be safe, and that one last missing runner was found dead on Sunday morning. Eight people were being treated at a hospital.
Mr. Zhang said that the rescue efforts had been complicated by a landslide after the rain. The region is prone to mudslides and floods.
By Sunday, discussion online in China focused on the apparent failure to prepare for the possibility of extreme weather. Some questioned whether organizers had paid enough attention to the weather forecast.
The news that two elite runners were among the dead amplified the public anger. The state-owned Beijing News reported the death of Mr. Liang, who has won several ultramarathons in China in recent years. Two runners who helped with the rescue effort confirmed the death of Mr. Huang, according to the state-owned Red Star News.
Steve Brammar, the race director for the Hong Kong 100 ultramarathon, said on Sunday that Mr. Liang was among the best ultra-endurance athletes in the world.
“We will miss his long, thoughtful, honest answers to questions at the press conferences and his powerful, brave running style,” Mr. Brammar said in a message posted on Facebook. Mr. Liang ran in the Hong Kong race last year.
“We will always remember him at the finish line of the 2020 event, holding his baby and hugging his wife,” Mr. Brammar said.