The 10km race began at 1h in cool weather, providing ideal conditions for the lead group to maintain a high pace. From the early kilometers, Yeunsik and Le Van Ba broke away, running side-by-side at a steady pace. This equilibrium lasted until near the 9th kilometer, when the Korean runner capitalized on a corner to accelerate and finish first with a time of 34 minutes 24 seconds, about four seconds faster than his competitor.

Ham Yeunsik broke through to win the 10km distance at VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight Powered by Puma. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

Yeunsik stated he deliberately avoided an early attack, choosing a strategy of maintaining a steady pace and waiting for the opportune moment. "My competitor maintained a pace of about 3:15 to 3:20, which was similar to the speed I had planned. I chased him until the 9th kilometer, then accelerated to pull ahead in the final stretch," he said.

Born in 1979, the runner possesses a strong long-distance running foundation after many years of professional competition. He graduated from Korea National Sport University, was selected for the national marathon reserve team, and ran for corporate track and field teams such as Seoul City Hall and Hapcheon County Office.

Beyond running, Yeunsik has achieved notable success in triathlon. He won the Jeju International Triathlon in 2010 with a time of 8h 4 minutes 54 seconds and regularly participates in major Ironman events. Recently, Yeunsik has maintained strong form, winning the master category at the Chuncheon Marathon in 2023 with a time of 2h 32 minutes 10 seconds.

The sprint battle between Yeunsik and Le Van Ba excited viewers following the race via livestream. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

Beyond competing, Yeunsik dedicates himself to running as the chief executive officer and head coach of OpenCare Running center in Seoul. There, he coaches everyone from elite athletes to recreational runners, guiding them on basic techniques, nutrition, and injury prevention. The runner launched a YouTube channel for running guidance in 2012, publishing 314 videos and attracting nearly 12,000 subscribers.

Yeunsik is also the co-author of the book "The Running Bible", which guides runners from beginner stages to completing a marathon. The book ranked 10th in the Sports - Fitness category on the Yes24 platform and maintained a position in the top 100 health books for nine consecutive weeks.

Despite being 47 years old, Yeunsik maintains a training regimen of 12 sessions per week, combining morning and afternoon runs with speed workouts of about 1km. Due to his busy schedule, he combines participating in races with travel.

After winning the VM Hanoi Midnight, he plans to stay for three days to explore the city. "I want to try bia hoi (fresh beer) and ride a double-decker bus to experience the local rhythm of life," he said.

Hai Long