German, British athletes triumph at Techcombank Ironman Championship

Da Nang (VNA) - World champion Patrick Lange of Germany won the men’s category at the Techcombank Ironman 70.3-Asia Pacific Championship 2019 in the central city of Da Nang on May 12, marking his first title from the race in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, former world champion Holly Lawrence from the UK took the title of the women's category.

Lange finished with a time of three hours, 49 minutes and nine seconds. The endurance event included a 1.9-kilometre swim, 90km bike and 21km run.

In the women’s division, former Ironman 70.3 World Champion Holly Lawrence completed her race in four hours, four minutes and 41 seconds.

Last year's champion Radka Kahlefeldt from the Czech Republic finished third in 4:11:4.

The Czech triathlete came behind Sarah Crowley from Australia, who clocked in at 4:8:55 for second place.

2017 champion Tim Van Berkel of Australia finished second in the men’s division in 3:50:57, ahead of his countryman Tim Reed, who came third with a time of 3:52:14.

On May 11, the Ironkids race was held for kids in age groups from 5 to 10 and 11 to 14.

In the Sunrise Sprint Vietnam (750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run) for newcomers and amateurs on May 11, Vietnamese athlete Huynh Minh Khoi won the race in 1:9:25.

Triathletes also joined the Newborns Vietnam run from the Hyatt Regency Spa & Resort to the Da Nang Paediatrics and Obstetrics Hospital in order to raise awareness for the work of Newborns Vietnam, a Da Nang-based charity focused on reducing infant mortality. The race has helped raise more than 50,000 USD to support the charity.

This year's event was the Asia-Pacific Championship for the first time. It drew more than 2,200 triathletes, including 40 professionals and 1,000 Vietnamese athletes, from 50 countries and territories.

Da Nang has hosted successfully the race since 2015. Vietnam became as the second country after the Philippines to host a regional Ironman race. Last year, the city's tourism and service industry brought in revenue of 9.4 million USD from the event.

Da Nang has agreed to host the race every year until 2022.-VNA