Marathon

Representative of marathon clubs at a meeting with organisers of the first Oneway Marathon Vũng Tàu which will be held on April 23. — Photo courtesy of organisers

VŨNG TÀU — The first Oneway Marathon Vũng Tàu is expected to lure 5,000 runners on April 23 with a special cash bonus, making it the largest such event in Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province.

Athletes will compete in four categories of full marathon, half marathon, 10km and 5km, running through the 12 most famous landmarks of Vũng Tàu City such as Big Mountain, Small Mountain, Pineapple Beach, and Cape Nghinh Phong.

The tournament is designed to make sure athletes to have chance to admire the beautiful sunrise on the beach and the longest street of paperflower blossoms.

While the full details of the event will be introduced to public in a press conference next month, organisers revealed a special award of VNĐ111,111,111 (US$4,666) to a club whose members run the longest distance in total at the event.

"It is a new and unique award that we have never seen in other races. We are really excited and can't wait to run in Vũng Tàu," said Ngô Công Quang, founder of the 5h30 Running Club.

"The award is not for the best marathoner but for a group of competitors. It will help encourage runners to join the marathon while strongly uniting members of each club. I hope my 5h30 club will be one of candidates for the big bonus," he said. 

"This will be the largest scale marathon to be held in Vũng Tàu. The tournament will be carried out under international standards with safety guaranteed for runners," said Phạm Trung Linh, route director.

"We expect Oneway Vũng Tàu Marathon to be one of the most prominent events in the South. It will play a role to develop the running community in the region."

The tournament is the second one in the annual Oneway Marathon system. It is co-organised by the Doanh Nhân Trẻ (Young Businessmen) online magazine, Radio the Voice of Việt Nam, and the Việt Nam Journalists Association. — VNS