A female triathlete celebrates at the VNG Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam in Đà Nẵng. The city will host the event on May 5-8. Photo courtesy of VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Việt Nam

ĐÀ NẴNG — The VNG Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam will see 2,500 athletes racing in the central city of Đà Nẵng on May 5-8, marking its return after a two-year absence due to COVID-19.

The event’s organising committee said the race, with the theme ‘Embracing Challenges’, will be the 6th edition, and the return of the triathlon once again strongly confirmed the resilience of the country during the pandemic and the spirit, passion and determination of the athletes who take on the race.

VNG Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam decided to choose ‘Embracing Challenges’ as the key theme for the 1.9km swim, 90km bike, and 21.1km run event.

Following the remarkable success of the 2019 edition, VNG Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam 2022 will continue its position as one of the largest triathlon events in the region and marks the return of competitions and sports tournaments after the pandemic.  

Among 2,500 athletes participating in the two-day event, over 1,800 athletes are expected to join the 70.3 distance race on Sunday (May 8), including a record of nearly 1,100 Vietnamese athletes, This record-high number reaffirms the popularity of the race and the continued growth of the triathlon community in Việt Nam. 

Vice director of Đà Nẵng Department of Culture and Sports, Nguyễn Trọng Thao, said: "COVID-19 disruptions have unfortunately prevented the organisation of the VNG Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam the past two years, but we always hoped the race would return to Đà Nẵng City.” 

“This year’s event is not only the race that attracts triathlon athletes but also the first international event with the participation of global sports enthusiasts post-pandemic. As Vietnam’s tourism industry is reopening, we look forward to welcoming local and foreign athletes to compete and enjoy what the city offers.”

The event also marks the return of VNG, who played an imminent role in bringing Ironman 70.3 to Việt Nam. Since the inaugural event in 2015, VNG has continuously contributed to the triathlon community development in Việt Nam by creating virtual platforms and physical spaces for employees, partners, and non-professional teams to practise. The success of this year's event will lay the foundation for VNG and Sunrise Events Vietnam to have more triathlons in the future.

A beach track is seen on the Sơn Trà Peninsula in Đà Nẵng. More than 2,500 triathletes will race in the  VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Việt Nam in the city in May. Photo courtesy of Đà Nẵng tourism promotion Agency

“At VNG, we embrace a culture that fosters a balanced lifestyle and a healthy environment that supports our employees in developing in the long run. Triathlon represents resilience, going the distance and perseverance, which are the traits we value at VNG. Therefore, we encourage our employees to participate in endurance sports to keep themselves fit while upholding our value of embracing challenges,” said Abhishek Mathur, Vice President of Human Resources of VNG.

Onslo Carrington, General Manager and Race Director from Sunrise Events Vietnam, said: "We are grateful for the support and partnership of the Đà Nẵng Government, our title sponsor VNG, and importantly the athlete and volunteer community as we prepare for the 6th edition of VNG Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam to Đà Nẵng City next month.”

“Many of our participants have suffered hardships and setbacks due to COVID-19, but this has not dampened their enthusiasm in pursuing active lifestyles and their belief in the Ironman mantra of ‘anything is possible.

"After a two-year delay, we are excited and committed to delivering a safe and memorable event to mark Việt Nam’s return to the global Ironman 70.3 calendar while supporting the ongoing growth of endurance sports in the country."

In addition to the Ironman 70.3 distance race, the event will extend the Newborns Vietnam Runout on Friday morning (May 6), the Sunrise Sprint triathlon and Ironkids on Saturday morning (May 7).  

The 2022 VNG Ironman70.3 Việt Nam will offer 70 qualifying slots for the 2022 Ironman 70.3 World Championship held in St George, Utah, from October 28-29, including 25 qualifying slots for Women. 

The triathlon's organising committee said that the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa would once again serve as the host hotel.

Last month, 5,000 runners also raced in the annual Đà Nẵng International Marathon. — VNS