A woman heads to the finish in celebration with her children at the Manulife Đà Nẵng International Marathon. The race, which was delayed by the COVID19 in 2020-21, will resume on March 20. Photo courtesy of the World Marathon Company and Pulse Active

ĐÀ NẴNG — More than 5,000 local runners have registered to race in the 2022 Manulife Đà Nẵng International Marathon – one of the top marathon destinations in Southeast Asia – on March 20, after a two-year suspension due to COVID-19.

The race organisers, the World Marathon Company and Pulse Active, said the marathon would mark the COVID-19 recovery in Đà Nẵng and one of the largest sporting events in central Việt Nam.

The beach track will offer divisions for a men’s and women’s full marathon (42km), a half marathon (21km), a 10km course, a 5km FunRun and a kids’ run (1.5km).

A total of 900 runners have already registered in the full-marathon 42km, while 1,700 athletes have signed up for the 21km event, and more than 1,000 people for the 10km race.

This year there will also be a 1.5km pre-marathon race on March 19.

The event’s organisers have already raised VNĐ200 million (US$8,700) from donors for the support of orphans, victims of Agent Orange, the disabled, the Village of Hope and poor people in Đà Nẵng.

This year's races will have a record number of participants with more than 9,000 athletes including 2,400 foreigners from 67 countries and territories competing in the 42km, 21km, 10km and 5km fun run.

The eighth edition event will see runners racing from East Sea Park over the Trần Thị Lý and Thuận Phước bridges and on to the beach track on Sơn Trà peninsula.

Kids join the Manulife Đà Nẵng International Marathon in Đà Nẵng. The race expects to help recover sports and tourism in the city after a two-year deadlock. Photo courtesy of the World Marathon Company and Pulse Active

According to the race’s organisers, 65 per cent of athletes will come from provinces and cities outside of Đà Nẵng. It hopes that more foreign marathoners will join the race in 2023 once international tourism has kicked in.

The race, which is the first Vietnamese marathon certified by the International Amateur Athletics Association (IAAF) and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, receives a huge amount of sponsors and donors contributing to supporting the poor, the disabled, orphans and Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin and the Village of Hope. — VNS