On the morning of 27/9, Truong Vinh ward experienced light winds and a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The 42km race started at Ho Chi Minh Square at 3h. The leading group included familiar runners such as Dan Quyet, Dao Ba Thanh, and Mai Trung. Behind them were the familiar jerseys of Nghe An Runners, Ha Tinh Runners, and other athletes wearing race attire.

During the first 30 minutes, Mai Trung and Dan Quyet repeatedly exchanged the lead. Mai Trung maintained intense focus, while Dan Quyet appeared more relaxed, occasionally waving to the cameras. The wide and open course allowed both to maintain their pace with almost no obstacles.

Competing with Mai Trung throughout the race, Dan Quyet demonstrated superior experience and strength in the final one kilometer. He surged ahead, finishing just 11 seconds earlier with a time of 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 53 seconds.

In the women's 42km event, My Hien, a runner from host Nghe An, quickly established a significant lead over the chasing group. This distance also featured Hoang Huong Thuy and Nguyen Thi Tham, two experienced athletes.

She completed the 42km race in 3 hours, 6 minutes, and 10 seconds, breaking her previous personal record of 3 hours, 7 minutes, and 39 seconds.

While the 42km race was intense, 2,000 runners in the 21km event began their race at 4h. This group included prominent figures such as Le Van Huong, Nong Chang, and Anna Le.

The half marathon course followed the Ho Tung Mau - Truong Thi - Le Nin Avenue route, then proceeded onto Vinh - Cua Lo Avenue. After turning around at approximately kilometer 11, athletes returned towards the city center, finishing on Truong Thi Street.

Le Van Huong and Truong Viet Thanh stayed close throughout the course, creating a two-horse race for the lead in the men's 21km event. Van Huong, born in 2002, is a young talent from Nghe An athletics, having most recently won the 21km race in Hue in April. Truong Viet Thanh, born in 1984 in Thanh Hoa, belongs to the generation of amateur runners from the 2010s and is known by the nickname "The Barefoot Runner".

In the final kilometers, Le Van Huong accelerated, pulled ahead, and crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 17 minutes, and 31 seconds, securing the championship in the men's 21km event. Truong Viet Thanh finished 32 seconds later, with a time of 1 hour, 18 minutes, and 55 seconds. Although he did not win, this result holds significant meaning for Thanh, who previously suffered a broken leg during the VnExpress Marathon Hue 2023.

The women's 21km race unfolded differently. Bang Thach Long Trinh from Ha Tinh surged ahead immediately after the starting line, then joined a group of male runners to reduce wind resistance, thereby maintaining a steady pace throughout the course.

With no competitors throughout the race, the 22-year-old runner finished first in 1 hour and 29 minutes. She was 6 minutes and 24 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.

Le Van Thinh won the men's 10km event with a time of 37 minutes and 55 seconds, nearly 6 minutes ahead of second-place finisher Bui Dinh Huy. Huy recorded 43 minutes and 41 seconds, while Dang Tien Dung placed third with 44 minutes and 7 seconds. Dinh Quang Vinh claimed the championship in the men's 5km event with a time of 17 minutes. In the women's event, Nguyen Thi Hang Nga finished first in 18 minutes and 9 seconds.

By Minh Ngoc

Photos: Tung Dinh