KUNMING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- As the starting gun fired at the Luoping county sports center in Qujing, southwest China's Yunnan Province, for the 2026 Qujing Luoping Grand Blossom Marathon on March 15, over 20 international participants from eight countries and regions, including Thailand, Slovenia, Singapore and Bangladesh, alongside runners from across China, took to the flower-bordered course.

Each spring in Luoping, nearly a million mu (around 66,667 hectares) of rapeseed flowers bloom. The track winding through the golden sea of blossoms has earned the event the reputation of "the year's first marathon running into spring," making it a name card for Yunnan's spring sports and cultural tourism.

"The scenery along the way with the flower sea is so beautiful, and it's the biggest motivation for running," said Eva Pivac, a Slovenian runner participating in the marathon for the first time. An avid traveler and sports enthusiast who had long heard of Luoping's rapeseed fields, she signed up immediately after the race was announced, hoping to experience a unique landscape while running the marathon.

Having lived in the provincial capital of Kunming for five years, Pivac's participation in marathons, trail runs, and hiking activities across Yunnan has given her a genuine feel for China's development. "Many marathon events in China are held in counties or small towns, using sports events to drive local tourism development and help discover more hidden scenic spots," she said, adding that local residents are exceptionally warm, doing their utmost to welcome runners from afar.

Asked about her impression of the event, Pivac said the professional organization was impressive. Pre-race activities like the welcome dinner and bonfire dancing allowed her to feel the strong local flavor. "The race itself was a little bit difficult because of the hills, but the scenery was amazing, so that really helped us to run faster," she said, noting her experience in Luoping was excellent and she plans to return next year.

The international appeal of the Luoping marathon also marks a new starting point for deeper cooperation on sports and cultural tourism between China and Thailand. During the 2025 Chiang Mai International Marathon, cultural, tourism and sports departments from Luoping and Chiang Mai reached preliminary cooperation intentions. Leveraging the seasonal complementarity between Luoping's spring blossoms and Chiang Mai's winter cultural landscape, they plan to jointly design "marathon plus tourism" cross-border itineraries.

During the 2026 Luoping marathon, a delegation from Chiang Mai paid a special visit, with members praising the event highly.

"This is a race with absolutely stunning scenery. Running in the golden sea of flowers is an unforgettable experience. The atmosphere was warm and lively, and I look forward to participating again next year," said Toemchai Temyingyong, Deputy Executive of Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization.

"The people here are hospitable, the natural scenery is beautiful, and the air is fresh. I will definitely recommend Luoping to Thai tourists and runners, inviting them to come here for tourism and sports," said Somboon Boonruang, a member of the Chiang Mai delegation.

In recent years, Yunnan, a southwestern border province of China, has fully leveraged its geographical advantage of being connected by mountains and rivers to South and Southeast Asia. Using marathon events as a link, it has continuously upgraded event brands and deepened cross-border cooperation, building an important bridge for people-to-people exchanges, cultural connectivity, and industrial linkage with neighboring countries.

On March 1, just after the traditional Chinese Spring Festival, the 2026 Ruili China and Muse Myanmar Cross-Border Marathon was held in Yunnan's Ruili City on the China-Myanmar border. A total of 3,998 runners from multiple countries and regions competed, including 227 participants from Myanmar.

On race day, over 3,000 Chinese and Myanmar residents formed cheer squads at 35 designated points along the route to encourage the runners. Around the No. 81 border marker on the China-Myanmar border, Myanmar people dressed in festive attire, holding bilingual cheer signs in Myanmar and Chinese, waving flags of both countries, greeting every cross-border runner with smiles and cheers.

"The China-Myanmar cross-border marathon is a friendship race," said U Thwin Htet Lin, consul general of the Consulate General of the Union of Myanmar in Kunming. He stated that the race witnesses the mutual learning in sports and culture between China and Myanmar, promoting people-to-people bonds.

Statistics show that since its launch a decade ago, the cross-border marathon has attracted nearly 600,000 athletes from 33 countries and regions.  ■