Marathon

Đỗ Quốc Luật celebrates his 42km win in the Techcombank Hà Nội Marathon yesterday.. — Photo of Techcombank Hà Nội Marathon

HÀ NỘI — Veteran runner Đỗ Quốc Luật and newbie Nguyễn Thị Oanh won top prizes at the first Techcombank Hà Nội Marathon in the capital city on Sunday.

After being postponed several times, the races were officially held in Hà Nội for the first time with more than 7,000 participants in the full marathon (42.195km), half-marathon (21.1km), 10km, 5km, and Kid Run (for young athletes aged five to 14).

Đỗ Quốc Luật who is a national athletic team member finished first in the men's marathon category with a time of 2hr 32.16min.

Luật is no stranger in the marathon community as the former SEA Games 3,000 steeplechase runner has completed and won different events for several years.

In Sunday's race, he finished nearly one minute faster than the nearest rival Nguyễn Quốc Anh (2:33.07) who is his teammate on the national team.

Lượng Trịnh Quốc, another national runner, finished third with a time of 2:35.40.

On the women's side, Oanh took the gold medal in her marathon debut.

Nguyễn Thị Oanh crosses the finish line of the Techcombank Hà Nội Marathon's women's 42km on Sunday in first place with a time of 2:35.40. — Photo of Techcombank Hà Nội Marathon

Oanh is well-known in Southeast Asia as she has dominated regional SEA Games for many editions in the 1,500m, 3,000m steeplechase, 5,000m and 10,000m events.

She has recently begun running long distances and won in the 21km class in several competitions. But it was the first time that she registered in a full marathon.

The 'golden girl' crossed the finish line in 2:56.07.

"42km, I made it!" Oanh posted on her Facebook page attaching a photo of her and the gold.

"It was my first marathon and it was amazing. I am extremely happy with this result. Thank you for supporting me," she told reporters.

Although it was her first time, Oanh left behind former SEA Game champion and national record holder Phạm Thị Bình (2:57.30) and a member of marathon team Lèo Thị Tình (2:58.01).

Bình retired after eight years and is now a coach in Quảng Ngãi Province. The bare-foot runner has just been back running for several months but gained remarkable results.

"My result is better than I expected but Oanh was much better than me. Oanh ran really well. She beat me easily in the last kilometres. She deserves to take a gold medal," Bình said of the winner.

In other classes, multi-time SEA Games champion Nguyễn Văn Lai won the men's 21km with a time of 1:11.19.

He was followed by Nguyễn Danh Cao (1:15.11) and Đào Minh Thiện (1:17.14).

Women's top three were Nguyễn Hạnh (1:34.56), Phạm Thị Mỹ Duyên (1:38.52), and Lê Thị Thanh Quỳnh (1:44.07).

Lê Tiến Long (33.54min) and Khuất Phương Anh (39.06) won the men's and women's 10km classes, respectively.

Meanwhile, Khúc Đình Cường (17.26) and Nguyễn Thị Thanh Xuân (22.15) were, respectively, winners in the men's and women's 5km pool.

The Techcombank Hà Nội Marathon surpassed the highest prize purse for many years of the Techcombank HCM City International Marathon by raising the prize purse up to VNĐ713.98 million (US$30,600).

It officially became the marathon that holds the biggest cash prize in Việt Nam. Full marathon winners pocketed $5,000 each along with trophies and gifts from sponsors. VNS