Runners take part in the 5km event (Photo: VNA) Hoa Binh (VNA)- Over2,200 runners from 38 countries and territories joined the Vietnam UltraMarathon (VUM) 2024, which was organised for the first time on March 23 in Mai Chau district, the northern province ofHoa Binh.
Athletestook part in running at five distances, from 5km, to 10km, 25km, 50km and 70kmultramarathon with a total increase in altitude of up to 3,300 metres.
RunnersCush Kathryn from Australia secured the first place in the women’s 70km runwhile John Ray Onifa from Philippines was the winner in the men’s category.Meanwhile, Vanja Cnops of Belgium and Iurii Shtankov from Russia came in firstin the women’s and men’s 50km events, respectively.
Vietnam’sNguyen Thi Ngoc Anh won the women’s 25km event and Randolf Gonzales from the Philippinestook the first place at the men’s 25km event.
KieraBailey from United Kingdom and Vietnam’s Nong Van Chuyen finished first in the women’sand men’s 10km events, respectively.
BuiThi Lan and Nguyen Ngoc Anh from Vietnam were the winners in the women’s and men’s5km category.
Accordingto organisers, the running track was uniquely designed, bringing participants anew feel of Mai Chau that not many people have experienced. From the romanticMai Chau valley with villages of Thai ethnic people, the race took runnersthrough a variety of landscapes, from dense primitive forests to terracedfields, passing many long slopes and majestic landscapes.
The event is expected to be held annually in Mai Chau district in thefollowing years, offering Hoa Binh province an opportunity to introduce to domestic and international tourists Mai Chau's potential and advantages that need to be tapped to promote the development of thelocality./.
