"I'm now stable and the doctor has allowed me to go home. Thank you for everyone's concern," Yen Thu told VnExpress. She explained that she encountered problems because her body wasn't in its best condition, despite competing below her usual capacity.
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Yen Thu recovered and was discharged on the afternoon of 20/7, just hours after collapsing during the race. Photo: Provided by the subject |
Yen Thu recovered and was discharged on the afternoon of 20/7, just hours after collapsing during the race. Photo: Provided by the subject
Earlier that day, in the women's marathon, Yen Thu led for almost the entire race, significantly ahead of her competitors for over 41.9 km. However, just 50 m from the finish line, she collapsed from exhaustion. Despite receiving assistance from teammate Le Thi Tuyet and medical personnel, she was unable to continue and had to be taken to the hospital.
About 15 minutes later, Le Thi Ha, the closest runner behind Thu, passed her to win with a time of 3 hours and 12 minutes.
Yen Thu was then transferred to Danang General Hospital for tests and intravenous fluids. The initial diagnosis was that Yen Thu had "hit the wall"—a state common in marathons between kilometers 28 and 32 when the body depletes its glycogen stores, leading to reduced performance, cramps, and even nausea and fainting.
According to coaches, to mitigate this, runners need a proper nutrition strategy before and during race day, maintain a reasonable pace, and hydrate properly throughout the course.
The weather conditions at this year's event presented a significant challenge for the athletes. From 2 a.m., the temperature in Danang had already reached 30°C. In the same race, runner Nguyen Van Long also had to withdraw at kilometer 18 due to dizziness, despite closely trailing the champion, Huynh Anh Khoi, in the men's event.
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Yen Thu led for most of the race, more than 10 minutes ahead of the runner-up. Photo: VM |
Yen Thu led for most of the race, more than 10 minutes ahead of the runner-up. Photo: VM
Yen Thu is a young athlete from Dak Lak (formerly Phu Yen) province, currently training in Danang. Last month, she competed against Pham Thi Hong Le for the championship at the VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon. However, in the final kilometers, Thu couldn't catch up with her senior competitor and finished as the runner-up.
The 2025 VnExpress Marathon Danang is the second time the event has been held in the central coastal city. The event attracted thousands of athletes, including many elite domestic and international runners.
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