On 24/8, 13,000 runners participated in the VnExpress Marathon Libera Nha Trang 2025. In the 10km race, Y Glap Nie, an Ede man from Buon Ho (Dak Lak), finished first with a time of 35 minutes and 28 seconds. He was followed by Tran Minh Tu with 36 minutes and 7 seconds, and Thanh Binh with 36 minutes and 13 seconds. Throughout the race, Y Glap maintained a diligent pace and a somber expression.

Y Glap Nie on the VnExpress Marathon Nha Trang course. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

Y Glap Nie on the VnExpress Marathon Nha Trang course. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

Upon crossing the finish line as the champion, Y Glap Nie didn't raise his arms in celebration or linger with his fellow runners. He left the course, collected his belongings from the support area, and boarded a vehicle back to his hometown. Few knew that just hours before the race, he received the news of his father's passing from cancer after months of battling the illness. The Ede runner wanted to quickly return home to place his medal beside his father's portrait, fulfilling a promise he made before his father's death.

Y Glap recounted that on the morning he left for Nha Trang, he held his father's hand and said, "Father, I'm going to compete." His father nodded slightly. "My father's condition was worsening. I was prepared for the worst, but still hoped he would live to see me bring back a gift," he said.

However, that same afternoon, after receiving his bib in Nha Trang, Y Glap received an unexpected call from his family informing him of his father's passing. Faced with the choice of staying to compete or returning home immediately to attend to his father's funeral arrangements, the Ede runner chose to step up to the starting line, channeling his grief into each stride.

Y Glap Nie (bib 60288) before the 10km starting line. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

Y Glap Nie (bib 60288) before the 10km starting line. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

"Before I left, I promised to bring my father a medal as a gift. When he was alive, he always wanted me to be strong," he shared. The night before the race, Y Glap couldn't sleep and didn't tell his teammates about his father's death, fearing it would worry them and affect their race performance.

Y Glap's mind was filled with thoughts as he waited for the starting signal. "I could only pray that my father would protect me from any obstacles, give me the composure and strength to avoid stumbling, and help me run fast to the finish line so I could return to him," the runner recounted, his voice choked with emotion.

After returning home, Y Glap lit incense, placed the medal beside his father's portrait, and told him he had fulfilled his promise. His touching story later spread on social media, reaching and being shared by many runners.

Y Glap Nie began running in 2010 after finishing 5th in the 5km race at a provincial cross-country event. That achievement ignited his passion for the sport. For the past 12 years, Y Glap has maintained a routine of waking up at 4:30 a.m. to train on the red basalt roads of Buon Ho, then returning to work as the sun rises. The runner trained according to a plan prepared by athlete Do Quoc Luat before the VnExpress Marathon Libera Nha Trang, and his efforts paid off.

Y Glap is currently a member of the 47 Runners club. 2025 has been a successful year for him, achieving top 1 in the 5km Buon Ho Half Marathon, 2nd place in the 10km Dak Nong Marathon, and 3rd place in the 10km Buon Ma Thuot Half Marathon.

The VnExpress Marathon Libera Nha Trang was Y Glap's first major competition. He hopes this achievement will be a springboard for him to transition to the 21km distance next year and achieve good results.

Lan Anh