Truong Cong Quoc Viet, deputy director of Can Tho City's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, shared this information at the race's press conference on the afternoon of 12/9 at the Muong Thanh Hotel. Viet expressed the city's excitement about being the next destination in the VnExpress Marathon series. With over 6 years and 30 races under its belt, the VnExpress Marathon is viewed by Can Tho as a highly impactful brand with significant appeal to both domestic and international runners.

Therefore, when deciding to co-organize the race, the city's People's Committee, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with other departments, have dedicated considerable resources and collaborated on planning the route, security, and safety for the 9,000 athletes. Viet affirmed that the route, passing through various wards and communes such as Cai Khe, Cai Rang, Ninh Kieu, will help promote the image of a tranquil yet vibrant city to runners both domestically and internationally.

Truong Cong Quoc Viet, deputy director of Can Tho City’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Photo: Duc Dong

Truong Cong Quoc Viet, deputy director of Can Tho City’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Photo: Duc Dong

"The city hopes that all athletes participating in the race will have a safe and engaging experience, while also experiencing the beauty of the Tay Do river culture," Viet said at the press conference, adding that the city plans to integrate the race into its festival activities in the coming years.

Le Van Anh, deputy head of the race organizing committee, said this is the first time the VM has come to the Mekong Delta, marking the 10th city the series has visited. For this inaugural Mekong Delta event, the organizers initially expected 6,000-7,000 athletes. However, when the Super Early Bird registration opened, the response exceeded expectations with over 6,000 registrations. A total of 9,000 athletes will participate in the race on the morning of 14/9, along with 2,000 children in the Kun Marathon, demonstrating the appeal of the land along the Hau River as well as the VM brand.

Among the more than 9,000 athletes are over 1,000 runners from the Herbalife running community. Local clubs and schools also contribute nearly 1,000 runners. The organizers hope this is a promising start for the VnExpress Marathon in Can Tho and that numbers will continue to grow in the coming years, similar to how the race has developed marathon communities in Hue, Quy Nhon, and Nha Trang.

Leaders of Can Tho City's Department of Culture and Sports, sponsor representatives, and the organizing committee perform the opening ceremony for VM Can Tho. Photo: Duc Dong

Leaders of Can Tho City's Department of Culture and Sports, sponsor representatives, and the organizing committee perform the opening ceremony for VM Can Tho. Photo: Duc Dong

Anh also outlined the race route arrangements. All distances will start and finish at the Hau River Park. The finish line for the 42km race will be located at Binh Thuy Square. The organizers have arranged vehicles to transport 42km runners from the finish line back to the starting area. In addition, for areas with poor lighting, the organizers will use over 100 Xanh SM vehicles to provide illumination. This solution has been implemented in previous VM races, such as in Ho Chi Minh City. For the 5km race starting at 5:30 a.m., over 200 doves will be released alongside the runners.

VM Can Tho also marks the partnership with Herbalife as the nutrition partner. Nguyen Thanh Dat, communications director of Herbalife Vietnam, said the city in the heart of the Mekong Delta has many unique cultural features, friendly people, and rich cuisine. Partnering with VM in a new location continues the brand's expansion strategy, promoting exercise and healthy nutrition.

The brand has a booth at the Expo area, offering various activities to introduce nutritional products and minigames to connect with the community.

VnExpress Marathon Can Tho starts at 2:30 a.m. on 14/9. Bib distribution will take place on 12-13/9 at Hau River Park. Currently, Can Tho is in its rainy season. Runners are advised to collect their bibs in the morning to avoid heavy downpours. Race day is expected to have pleasant weather with a temperature of around 24 degrees Celsius.

Hoai Phuong