In its inaugural season, the VnExpress Vung Tau International Half Marathon Herbalife Cup 2026 attracted over 7,000 athletes competing across three distances: 5km, 10km, and 21km. The event awarded 52 prize sets with a total value exceeding 662,000,000 VND, including 200,000,000 VND in cash.

The organizers presented awards to the top 5 female athletes in the 21km distance. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

Hoang Nguyen Thanh finished first in the men's half marathon with a time of one hour, 11 minutes, and two seconds. He created a gap of over three minutes ahead of Pham Ngoc Phan, who placed second with one hour, 14 minutes, and 14 seconds. Trieu Tien Luyen secured third, completing the race in one hour, 15 minutes, just 46 seconds behind Phan.

This distance offered the highest prize money. Champions in each category received a total value of 19,135,000 VND, including 10,000,000 VND in cash, Puma shoes, Duoc Dong A products, and Herbalife products. Second place received 17,135,000 VND, and third place 15,135,000 VND.

Hoang Nguyen Thanh, born in 1995 in Binh Phuoc, is widely regarded as Vietnam's top long-distance runner. He won a gold medal in the marathon at SEA Games 31 and currently holds the national marathon record of two hours, 18 minutes, 43 seconds, and the half marathon record of one hour, six minutes, 39 seconds. Throughout the race, the champion maintained a steady pace, proactively establishing a lead over the chasing group. The coastal course's hilly sections had little impact on his speed.

Hoang Nguyen Thanh crossed the finish line first in the men's 21km race. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

In the women's event, Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa claimed victory with one hour, 19 minutes, 57 seconds, nearly three minutes ahead of runner-up Le Thi Thu Ha, who finished in one hour, 22 minutes, 49 seconds. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha placed third, more than four minutes later, with one hour, 26 minutes, 57 seconds.

Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa, born in 2004, is also a prominent figure in Vietnamese athletics. In January 2025, she set a national women's marathon record at the Asian Championships. Beyond the overall awards, the 21km category also featured age group prizes, with 30 sets distributed across five groups: 30 years old and under, 31-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60 years old and above. The first-place winner in each age group received 12,213,000 VND, including 3,500,000 VND in cash.

Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa won the women's 21km race. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

In the men's 10km race, Le Huu Loc finished first with 35 minutes, two seconds, just 22 seconds ahead of Bui Minh Tuong, who recorded 35 minutes, 24 seconds. Both runners significantly outpaced Nguyen Duy Sang, who crossed the finish line in 37 minutes, 13 seconds.

For the women's event, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan completed the course in 39 minutes, 58 seconds to secure the championship. Luu Thi Thanh Tam took second place with 41 minutes, 42 seconds, maintaining a lead of over seven minutes against Nguyen Thi Lai, who finished third with 48 minutes, 43 seconds.

The champion of each 10km category received a total prize value of 15,135,000 VND, including 6,000,000 VND in cash. Second and third place received 14,135,000 VND and 13,135,000 VND, respectively.

In the 5km race, Nguyen Van Khang, participating in two distances at a VnExpress Marathon event for the first time, finished first in the 5km with 16 minutes, 12 seconds. He had just completed the 10km race and had only seven minutes to prepare for the second distance. Khang mentioned his surprise at the strong winds on the course, but the encouragement from spectators along the route motivated him to achieve his best performance in this distance.

Nguyen Van Khang won the men's 5km race. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

Do Duy Thang closely followed, finishing second with 16 minutes, 23 seconds. Truong Nhat Linh placed third more than one minute later, completing the race in 17 minutes, 35 seconds.

In the women's category, the top three positions were closely contested, with less than one minute separating each pair. Pham Thi Thuy Hanh crossed the finish line in 19 minutes, six seconds to win the championship. Luu Thi Thanh Tinh took second with 19 minutes, 45 seconds, 30 seconds ahead of Le Thi Kim Chi, who finished in 20 minutes, 15 seconds.

For this distance, the champion of each category received a total prize value of 14,135,000 VND, including 5,000,000 VND in cash. Second place received 13,135,000 VND, and third place 12,135,000 VND.

Hoang Anh