600 local athletes to compete in 2021 VPBank Ha Noi Marathon
Hundreds of runners from across Viet Nam will participate in the VPBank Ha Noi Marathon 2021 (VPHM) on March 6.
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| A runner, wearing the official jersey of the VPBank Ha Noi Marathon 2021, practises on the track inside the My Dinh Stadium. (Photo: courtesy of the organiser) |
Due to the pandemic in the capital, the race organising committee has decided to trim the size of the event from the expected 10,000 people to 600 qualified full marathon runners to compete to be on the official track for the marathon at the 31st SEA Games.
The 42km full marathon starts from My Dinh Stadium and is fully located in Nam Tu Liem district.
The race will take runners through the National Sports Complex in My Dinh, the F1 Racing Road and routes including Do Xuan Hop Road, Tan My Road, Le Duc Tho Road and Le Quang Dao Road.
The start times will begin at 5 pm on March 6 for the 42km full marathon within 5 hours of the cut-off time.
This year marks the first time a running event has been allowed by the Vietnam Athletics Federation (VAF) to introduce the National Record-Breaking Prize in the marathon.
Dr Nguyen Tri, General Director of DHA Vietnam, the owner of the marathon, said the decision was: “In line with the world sports trend of attaching importance to the fundamental level rather than only to high achievement sport."
“With the slogan ‘For a strong Viet Nam,’ this is not only a message to cheer for the 31st SEA Games but also an extra-ordinary reminder to the community that a foundation of strong physical strength is the basic to overcome the pandemic. And sports (in which running has the largest number of people practising) is the basis for creating that physical foundation."
“For a strong Viet Nam” is also a message about a new lifestyle, sportsmanship and increased public health. Practising sports is the most effective and least expensive, active health care method. That is also a highly precious awakening point from the pandemic.
Held annually since 2018, the VPBank Ha Noi Marathon is recognised as a member of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.
So far, the national records in the marathon are among the longest standing records in Viet Nam’s National Athletics Championships, with the 18-year-old record of 2:21:51 set by athlete Nguyen Chi Dong at the 22nd SEA Games, which was held in Viet Nam in 2003, and the record of 2:45:09 established by athlete Hoang Thi Thanh at the National Athletics Championships in 2016.
Before that, the national record set by Bui Luong (2:32:00) had existed for 35 years (from 1968 to 2003).
The prize for a new national record is 50 million VND.
(Source: VNA)
