Organized by VnExpress, the second season of the Runner of the Year (ROTY) awards begins on 1/10 and culminates in an awards ceremony scheduled for 25/1/2026 in Hanoi. The program honors individuals, groups, and products that have made significant contributions to Vietnam's running community over the past year.
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Hoang Nguyen Thanh speaks after receiving the Outstanding Male Professional Athlete award at the 2024 Runner of the Year awards ceremony in Hanoi. Photo: Hieu Luong |
Hoang Nguyen Thanh speaks after receiving the Outstanding Male Professional Athlete award at the 2024 Runner of the Year awards ceremony in Hanoi. Photo: Hieu Luong
This year, ROTY introduces self-nominations, allowing all runners to register for one or more categories. This enhances fairness and community engagement. Runners can briefly explain why they believe they meet the criteria for each category. A panel of judges will review these submissions and determine the final list of nominees.
ROTY 2025 also features awards for influential running KOLs and veteran runners. The KOL award recognizes those who create inspiring running content on social media, while the Veteran Runner award celebrates the perseverance of runners over 50.
vRace, Vietnam's leading online race organizer, will launch the year-end "Race to Zero" challenge from 15/11 to 31/12. Runners can participate individually or as clubs to accumulate points, redeemable for prizes like medals, finisher shirts, race kits, or club cups. Each kilometer completed will be converted into a tree planted with support from the Hope fund.
The second season comprises three phases: self-nominations from 1-21/10; judges' review and finalization of nominees from 22-31/10; and public voting on the ROTY 2025 portal from 1/11 to 31/12. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 25/1/2026 in Hanoi.
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Five running clubs were honored at the 2024 Runner of the Year Awards Gala. Photo: Hieu Luong |
Five running clubs were honored at the 2024 Runner of the Year Awards Gala. Photo: Hieu Luong
ROTY 2025 expands to 19 categories, divided into two main groups: Runner - Club - KOL and Product - Accessory. The Runner - Club - KOL group has 10 awards: Outstanding Male and Female Professional Athletes; Outstanding Male and Female Amateur Athletes; Promising Male and Female Professional Athletes; Promising Male and Female Amateur Athletes; Outstanding Veteran Runner; Top 3 Inspiring Runners; Top 3 Inspiring Mentors (Coaches); Top 3 Running KOLs of the Year; and Top 10 Running Clubs.
The Product - Accessory group includes three categories: outstanding training shoes, outstanding racing shoes, and outstanding sports watches.
The judging criteria for each category, which will be announced in detail, encompass competitive achievements, community contributions, fair play, development potential, social media influence, and real-world activities. The final results are based on 60% from the judges and 40% from public voting.
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Mr. Vo Kinh received the Inspiring Athlete award at last year's season. Photo: Hieu Luong |
Mr. Vo Kinh received the Inspiring Athlete award at last year's season. Photo: Hieu Luong
The inaugural ROTY awards in 2024 recognized four individuals in two categories: professional and amateur athletes. Nguyen Thi Oanh and Hoang Nguyen Thanh won in the professional category, while Dan Quyet and Ha Hau were honored in the amateur category.
Organizers say the awards not only recognize achievements but also celebrate the perseverance, determination, and positive contributions of the running community. The expanded categories and criteria aim to acknowledge the diverse values that individuals and groups bring.
Detailed information and the nomination and voting portal will be updated on the ROTY 2025 online platform soon.
Lan Anh
