On the morning of 28/6, the Bao Xay Dung newspaper race 2026 took place along Vung Tau's coastal route, featuring three distances: 5 km, 10 km, and 21 km. The elite category featured an exciting race with many renowned Vietnamese runners.

In the men's 21 km event, Huynh Anh Khoi solidified his position as the race's top star, finishing first at Tam Thang Square with a time of 1 hour 13 minutes 50 seconds. This time was well short of the 23-year-old Ho Chi Minh City runner's personal best (1 hour 10 minutes 47 seconds, achieved when he finished third at the Tet Run in 2/2026), but it still allowed him to comfortably outpace Ly Nhan Tin, who finished second with 1 hour 16 minutes 9 seconds. Nguyen Dang Khoa rounded out the top 3 with 1 hour 18 minutes 28 seconds.

Huynh Anh Khoi receives his award for winning the 21 km event at the Bao Xay Dung newspaper race 2026. Photo: Organizers

Anh Khoi's victory was a major highlight of the race. Born in 2003, this runner is among the rising young athletes, having drawn attention in long-distance races for his consistent pace and strong physical endurance. Since the beginning of 2026, this marks Anh Khoi's seventh victory in eight races he has competed in Vietnam, including five 42 km races and two 21 km races. The only time he did not win in these eight events was when he finished second in the 42 km VnExpress Marathon All-Star on 8/2.

The women's 21 km event also saw a high-quality race. Le Thi Ha won with a time of 1 hour 25 minutes 22 seconds, ahead of Doan Thi Oanh, who clocked 1 hour 27 minutes 15 seconds. Tran Thi Kim Kieu finished third with 1 hour 30 minutes 36 seconds.

The presence of Le Thi Ha and Doan Thi Oanh added to the competitiveness of the women's 21 km race. Both are familiar faces in amateur races and high-performance competitions, known for their strong pacing and ability to attract other long-distance runners.

Beyond the half marathon, the event also saw a notable performance from Tran Thi Duyen in the women's 5 km event. The Ninh Binh athlete, born in 2001, finished first with 19 minutes 17 seconds, faster than Le Thi Kim Chi and Luu Thi Thanh Tinh. In the men's 5 km, Nguyen Van Khang won with 16 minutes 15 seconds.

The Bao Xay Dung newspaper race 2026, themed "Steadfast Steps Towards the Future", awarded 51 prize categories. These included professional, team, and journalist awards, along with special awards like cosplay and "Run with Your Better Half" (a playful term for spouse). The organizers stated that the event aimed to promote a positive lifestyle, inspire physical training, foster community spirit, and encourage physical activity.

Dong Huyen