Quang Binh (VNA) – The Quang Binh Discovery Marathon 2024 was held at the world natural heritage site of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh on March 10, with nearly 2,400 athletes at home and abroad taking part.
The athletes competed in varied distances, including 6km, 10km, 21km and the challenging 42 km. Each distance was an intriguing route with picturesque and majestic natural landscapes at the national park such as Son and Chay rivers, gigantic caves, and internal botanic garden, among others.
In the men’s and women's 42km events, Nguyen Duy Lam and Nguyen Thi Trang Giang won the first prizes, respectively. Nguyen Dac Hung and Le Thi Thu were the winners of men’s and women’s 21km runs. Nguyen Xuan Bach and Vo Quynh Thu won the men’s and women’s 10km races while Tran Minh Quy and Nguyen Thi Hien finished first in the men's and women's 6km distance.
The event, the forth of its kind, was a practical activity to celebrate major holidays of the country and the province and kicked off the tourism season in 2024.
The marathon was expected to promote the province’s advantages of tourism in general and biodiversity values, natural landscapes and tourism products in the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in particular. Tournament was also a new and unique playground to promote the movement of sport training and competing, especially running.
On March 9, the provincial Department of Culture and Sports hold a cultural exchange programme with the participation of a traditional art troupe and athletes./.