Salonpas HCMC Marathon 2023 opens

HCMC Marathon 2022. This year’s race has attracted around 10,000 runners. (Photo courtesy of HCMC Marathon)

HCM City (VNS/VNA) – The Salonpas HCMC Marathon opened on January 7 in the Phu My Hung Urban Area of the country's southern economic hub with the participation of 10,000 local and foreign runners.

During the two-day tournament, the runners compete in 42km, 21km, 10km and 5km races.

It also features 500 children aged three to 10 in two categories: 1.5km and 500m.

The marathon is organised by the HCM City Athletics Federation and Pulse Active, a sports-tourism and lifestyle-entertainment company, along with the Department of Culture and Sports.

Japanese pharmaceutical company Hisamitsu (producer of the pain relief patch Salonpas) is the main sponsor.

HCMC Marathon is one of Vietnam’s largest marathons, and it has been held annually since 2013. The marathon aims to encourage more people to take part in sports activities.

This year’s event has a total prize of over 700 million VND (29,825 USD).

Over the years the marathon has steadily been gaining popularity so much so that the number of runners this year has doubled from inaugural one in 2013.

There is also an exhibition of health and sports products./.

VNA