Nguyễn Thị Oanh wins the women's 21.1km elite category of the first Việt Nam International Half Marathon in Hà Nội on January 1. Photos of organisers

HÀ NỘI — National athletes Nguyễn Thị Oanh and Đỗ Quốc Luật met no difficulty in winning the first Việt Nam International Half Marathon, the first sporting event of the year on January 1 in Hà Nội.

The tournament was divided into two disciplines for almost 5,000 elite and amateur runners who ran in half marathon, 10km and 5km distances.

Oanh, the multi-time SEA Games champion, led from the start to the end of the women's 21.1km event, finishing first with a time of 1hr 15.23min.

Veteran Chinese Taipei runner Chien-Ho Hsieh and famed Thai marathoner Linda Janthachit were expected to challenge Oanh, but they failed to complete their mission.

Hsieh came second at 1:19.35 and Linda Janthachit third at 1:20.52.

On the men's side, Nguyễn Văn Lai and Luật of Việt Nam and Sanchai Namkhet from Thailand quickly separated from the group to lead most of the race.

Former SEA Games champion Luật overcame his senior national team teammate Lai in the last meters to claim the top podium with a time of 1:07.39.

Đỗ Quốc Luật reacts as he crosses the finish line of the men's half marathon event.

Lai was one second behind and took second place while Namkhet was third at 1:08.02.

In the 10km race, Lê Anh Hào won the men's gold clocking 33.31min while Đoàn Thu Hằng took the women's title with a time of 37:13

The pro winners of the 5km races were Giang Văn Dũng (15.20) and Nguyễn Thị Kim Thanh (19.05).

In the amateur pools, Hoàng Hữu Hanh (1:15.30) and Nông Thị Chang (1:26.17) were winners of the men's and women's half marathon events. Nguyễn Danh Cao (34.20) and Lê Thị Thanh Quỳnh (41.30) won the men's and women's 10km. Đinh Thanh Huệ (15.20) and Ngô Khánh Ny (19.29) came first in the men's and women's 5km.

The organisers also held a category for people with disabilities, mainly visually impaired runners. They were escorted by a guide and ran 1.5km.

According to Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, General Secretary of the Việt Nam Athletics Federation, the race for people with disabilities was part of a plan to create a healthy competition for all people of the federation. The first one was at this tournament which was jointly organised by the federation, the municipal People's Committee and Vietcontent Company. VNS