Nearly 11,000 runners take part in Ho Chi Minh City Marathon

Runners join the 13th Ho Chi Minh City Marathon, which kicks off on Le Duan street on the morning of January 11. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Nearly 11,000 athletes from 75 countries and territories competed in the 13th Ho Chi Minh City Marathon, which kicked off on Le Duan street on the morning of January 11.

Speaking at the award ceremony on the same day, Nguyen Nam Nhan, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports and Head of the Organising Committee, said this year’s race continued to post impressive figures. Notably, more than 2,300 runners participated in the full marathon (42km), demonstrating the growing development and wide-reaching appeal of the marathon movement.

The race once again affirmed its status as an international-standard marathon event, contributing to the promotion of the southern metropolis’s image and spreading the spirit of sport throughout the community, Nhan stressed.

According to the organisers, the event featured three distances of 42km, 21km and 10km with start times at 3:00, 3:30. and 5:00, respectively. The routes passed through many of the city’s iconic streets and landmarks, including Notre Dame Cathedral, the municipal theatre, the HCM City People’s Committee headquarters, Thu Ngu flagpole, Ba Son bridge, and the Thu Thiem new urban area.

At the finish line, prizes were awarded to top finishers in each distance. In the women’s 10km, Tran Thi Duyen took the first prize, followed by Nguyen Thi Dong Phuong and Run Romdul. In the men’s category, Nguyen Trung Cuong claimed the first place, with Nguyen Le Hoang Vu second and Ryuku Ushizaki third.

In the 21km race, Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa topped the women’s standings, followed by Le Thi Yen Nhu and Nguyen Khanh Ly. In the men’s event, Hoang Nguyen Thanh finished first, Lai Terence came second, and Truong Tri Tam placed third.

In the women’s full marathon (42km), Pham Thi Hong Le secured first place, Le Thi Ha finished second, and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan came third.

In the men’s category, Huynh Anh Khoi took the top spot, followed by Vann Pheara in second and Le Van Tuan in third. In the Vietnamese athletes’ system, Nguyen Thi Thuy Van and Ly Nhan Tin claimed first place in the women’s and men’s categories, respectively./.

VNA