HCM City (VNA) – Nearly 12,000 runners will compete at the 5th Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon, the event’s organisers said at the launch of the event on December 9.

The race, which will take place on December 11, attracts nearly 9,000 athletes from 64 provinces and cities nationwide along with 3,000 runners from 64 countries around the world.

The event comprises a full marathon at 42km, a half-marathon at 21km, a 10km race, 5km run and a kid run.

The full marathon run is set to cross five districts, one city and 17 key tourist destinations in HCM City, such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the HCM City Post Office, and Nguyen Hue walking street.

Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Tourism, said the marathon is an opportunity to promote the image of the city and Vietnam as a whole among domestic and international runners./.

VNA