The 21km race at the VnExpress Marathon Da Nang 2025 on the morning of 20/7 witnessed a dramatic chase between Vong Vanh Long, Kiptoo, Le Dinh Tuong, and Trinh Minh Tam. From the foot of the Thuan Phuoc bridge, Long broke away from his rivals and finished solo.

Vong Vanh Long waves and encourages the crowd before crossing the finish line. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

The 300m straightaway to the finish line on Phan Dang Luu Boulevard, an 8-lane road that opened in March, became Long's stage. The Lam Dong runner raised his hands, urging the spectators, including his mother, to cheer louder. After breaking the tape, he knelt and kissed his knee, revealing a tattoo that read "Run".

Although his time of 1 hour 12 minutes and 10 seconds was one and a half minutes off his personal best, Long won his first half-marathon title at a VnExpress Marathon event.

"I want to dedicate this victory to my mother, who traveled over 600 km with me and has supported me every step of the way," the 22-year-old runner shared immediately after finishing.

Vong Vanh Long (blue shirt) runs alongside Le Dinh Tuong in the first half of the race. Photo: VnExpress Marathon

From the start, Long and his teammate Le Dinh Tuong chose to push hard in the first half to force Kiptoo to break his usual rhythm. "We identified Kiptoo as our main rival. He specializes in the 42km and usually starts slow and speeds up gradually (negative split). If we could create a 100m gap, we would maintain a 3:15 pace, forcing Kiptoo to push to 3:00, a pace that could tire him out early," Long explained his strategy.

This tactic allowed the two Vietnamese runners to take turns leading for the first 10 km. However, as they entered the second half, Kiptoo began to accelerate. He overtook Long and Tuong, creating a significant gap. "Our plan to attack early was on the verge of collapse. At one point, I thought I should be content with third place," Long recounted.

However, after crossing the Tran Thi Ly bridge—one of the steepest and hottest sections of the course—Long noticed Kiptoo slowing down. He rallied, maintaining his speed to stay close to his rivals and finally overtook them in the last 2 km. "I've finished second several times in VnExpress Marathon events. This time I didn't want to repeat that result," he said.

The victory in Da Nang marks a turning point in Long's pursuit of professional athletics. He spent years competing at an amateur level, training independently without a coach or proper facilities. Long, born in 2003, is of Hoa ethnicity and grew up in Dam Rong 2 commune (now part of Lam Ha district, Lam Dong), where the sports movement is still in its early stages.

Vong Vanh Long and his mother at the bib collection area before the race. Photo: FB/Vong Vanh Long

Long's talent was discovered through several school-level running events. Recognizing his potential, in 2021, when Long had just graduated from high school, coach Ho Hung Thai recruited him to the Lam Dong athletics team. "For the past four years, Coach Thai has guided and trained me with a scientific training plan, focusing on building my physical strength and tactics. This victory is the result of a disciplined and systematic training process," Long shared.

In the months leading up to the VnExpress Marathon Da Nang, Long primarily trained and competed in Da Lat. At a local amateur race, he finished second behind former national team member Pham Ngoc Phan. To ensure he was in peak condition for the competition, Long followed a taper program and fueled his body correctly in the week before the race. He and his mother arrived in Da Nang early to acclimatize to the weather and familiarize themselves with the course.

Immediately after the awards ceremony, Vong Vanh Long and his mother returned to Lam Dong. He wanted to get back to training as soon as possible to prepare for upcoming races.

Lan Anh - Hai Long