Vi Ly's strategy leads to VM Hai Phong victory in debut 42km race

In his first full marathon, runner Hoang Viet Vi Ly, born in 2004, conserved energy during the first half before accelerating after km 29 to take the lead.

In the men's 42km race on 21/12, Trinh Minh Tam dominated for most of the distance. After overtaking Ezekiel Kipruto Kembo, the Gia Lai runner comfortably held the lead without facing any competition. At that time, Minh Tam was running at a pace of approximately 3:25, and was projected to finish with a time of 2 hours 25 minutes.

Vi Ly after winning the men's 42km in Hai Phong. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

However, by km 35, Minh Tam began to falter, forced to slow down. Conversely, after disappearing from the leading group, Vi Ly surprisingly surged ahead in the latter half of the race.

"This was my first 42km race, so I was cautious, deliberately running slower than my projected pace to gauge my physical condition. After the start, I suddenly experienced stomach pain and had to use gel early", Vi Ly said.

The athlete from Bac Ninh stated he did not expect to contend for the top position, and even after crossing the finish line, he could not believe he had won. Vi Ly shared that his goal was to finish sub 2:30, but he ultimately crossed the finish line with a time of 2 hours 26 minutes 44 seconds.

The first turning point came around km 29, when Vi Ly overtook Ha Quang Thang to enter the top three, then passed Kipruto to secure second position. He revealed he consistently maintained focus, saving energy for the decisive sprint at the end. "As it was my first 42km, I lacked extensive experience. I remained vigilant, constantly reminding myself to keep a cool head and maintain speed until the very end."

This strategy brought "sweet fruit" for Vi Ly, though he also benefited from Minh Tam's unexpected issue. The crucial moment occurred at km 35. Minh Tam faltered, and Vi Ly accelerated to claim the top spot. From there, he maintained a steady rhythm until the finish line, completing an emotional comeback.

The journey of Vi Ly's 21km VM Hai Phong championship. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

"I did not expect Ly to accelerate so quickly. I heard a sound behind me, and when I looked back, he had already passed," Tam said with regret, having led for most of the race.

This victory in his debut 42km race promises to be a significant encouragement for Vi Ly to transition into more specialized full marathon training in the near future. Sharing his preparation process for the VnExpress Marathon Hai Phong, Ly mentioned he primarily focused on long runs over 20km for about one and a half months, along with 30km tempo sessions.

Born in 2004, Hoang Viet Vi Ly has frequently competed for the 21km championship at various VnExpress Marathon events. Before his surprising win in Hai Phong, he had won the VnExpress Marathon Ha Long and secured second place in the 21km distance at the VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight with a time of 1 hour 10 minutes.

Hai Long