Runners join the 5km charity fund raising event – Newborns Vietnam Run Out at Sơn Thủy Beach in Đà Nẵng. The charity race aims to raise awareness and funds for Newborns Vietnam, an organisation dedicated to ending preventable newborns deaths in Việt Nam. Photo courtesy of VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 Việt Nam

ĐÀ NẴNG — More than 400 participants joined the 5km charity fund raising event – Newborns Vietnam Run Out at Sơn Thủy Beach on May 5, kicking off for VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 Việt Nam (on May 7) in the central city.

The race’s organisers, Sunrise Việt Nam said the Fun Run drew nurses, doctors from Đà Nẵng’s Pediatrics and Obstetrics Hospital, businesses, athletes, supporters and donors racing in a 5km run to raise awareness and funds for Newborns Vietnam, an organisation dedicated to ending preventable newborns deaths in Việt Nam.

At a previous race, Switzerland’s Caroline Steffen donated part of her prize money from last year’s event to the Newborns programme, part of $45,000 in donations for purchasing the first two incubators in Đà Nẵng’s Pediatrics and Obstetrics Hospital.

The race organisers said 315 children in the age groups of 5-7; 8-10, 11-12 and 13-15 will begin their IRONKIDS Việt Nam race in aquathlon and triathlon around 8am on May 6, while 200 athletes will also depart the Sunrise Sprint event later on the day.

Athletes will start swimming in a 1.9km ocean swim in front of the Hyatt Regency Đà Nẵng Resort & Spa, a two-loop 90km bike race along Trường Sa-Hoàng Sa-Võ Nguyên Giáp-Nguyễn Tất Thành streets, and a 21km run along the coastline of Đà Nẵng on Sunday morning.

The race has attracted nearly 3,000 athletes, 2,200 volunteers and 7,500 visitors coming to Đà Nẵng during the three-day race with the motto 'Boundless Together'

Việt Nam is the 30th country in the world and the eighth Asia-Pacific country to host an Ironman triathlon, and Đà Nẵng has been seen as the only city in Việt Nam organising the race since 2015.  — VNS