LUANG PRABANG: Some 3,000 runners from more than 50 countries and regions took part in a charity race in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang in Laos on Saturday.
It was a record-breaking day for the Run for Children Luang Prabang Half Marathon, marking its biggest and most successful edition in its 12-year history.
Organised in collaboration with China Daily and the RVi Group, the race began outside the Royal Palace (National Museum) before dawn.
The streets of the ancient city were soon awash with shades of white, blue and green, as runners proudly carried the “Taleo”, a traditional Lao symbol of protection.
From professional runners to families and young children, the event brought together people of all ages and abilities. The 7km fun run proved the most popular, attracting 2,100 runners, followed by 600 in the 14km race and 300 in the 21km half marathon.
Run for Children is an annual celebration of generosity, community solidarity and the belief that every child deserves access to quality healthcare, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Proceeds from the race go to Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC), the only free paediatric teaching hospital in the country, which opened in 2015.
Launched in 2019, China Daily’s “Run With History” initiative has brought races to the ancient cities of Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Luang Prabang in Laos, as well as the Indonesian island of Bali, combining sporting activities with visits to historic and cultural sites.
Themed “More Than A Run”, this year’s Bali event on Oct 18 featured a 5km fun run and a 10km challenge against the backdrop of Monkey Forest Ubud, a nature reserve and cultural site home to more than 1,200 long-tailed macaques and ancient Hindu temples. Some 1,734 runners took part in the event. - China Daily/ANN
