Hà Thị Hậu finishes first in the Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB's women's 50km last December. She is Việt Nam's sole runner at the 2023 XTERRA Asia-Pacific Trail Run Championships on April 16 in Chinese Taipei. Photo courtesy of Doi Inthanon Thailand

HÀ NỘI — Hà Thị Hậu will be the only Vietnamese competitor at the 2023 XTERRA Asia-Pacific Trail Run Championships on April 16 in Chinese Taipei.

The event will return for a second year running to the picturesque Stony Brook Nature Farm, located within the Kenting National Park, to once again showcase the beauty of Southern Taiwan’s natural terrain and offer a truly unique outdoor experience for athletes and spectators alike. 

I‍t is Hậu's debut at the tournament, which offers a prize of US$5,200 and a total of 247 qualifying spots to the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship spread amongst the marathon distance (116 slots), half marathon (116 slots), and the duo category (15 slots). 

She will compete in the women's half marathon 34-36-year-old group.

"A world slot is not my target at this tournament, but it will be good if I can win," Hậu told Việt Nam News.

"I choose to run here as a part of my training course because I want to collect international experience from a fast and short-distance event like this one. It will help me to reach my best speed possible."

"In theory, it is not the most difficult race that I have taken part in, but it offers rough terrain while it is hot and humid here."

The Vietnamese came to Kenting some days before the race, and she tested the route on Thursday.

"I ran yesterday, and the mountain is really clean and beautiful with fresh air," said Hậu. "I really hope to see trails in Việt Nam can be as nice as this one. "

"Athletes and I will run in a natural park with rocks, hills, and short slopes. It is nice that organisers arrange places to present awards for the best mountain climber, downhill and sprinter.

It is the third time that Hậu will compete in a tournament abroad.

In December 2022, she ran 75km at the Asia Trail Master Championship and 50km at the Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB and took both titles.

Hà Thị Hậu keeps running with a smile on her way to finishing first in the Dalat Ultra Trail on April 4. She topped the podium in women's 85km. — Photo courtesy of Hà Thị Hậu

Earlier this month, the 2022 Vietnam Mountain Marathon 100km champion finished first in the 85km pool at the Dalat Ultra Trail in Lâm Đồng Province.

"My goal for all events is fun and enjoyable run," she said.‍ "I have been working really hard all year round. I consider tournaments as my tests and will do my best. This Sunday trail is my fun race, and I will show everything I have."

Also in the same venue, the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Triathlon Championship with full-distance off-road triathlon will be held on April 15. Athletes will vie for a $25,000 elite prize purse and 51 qualifying spots to XTERRA Worlds for amateur racers.

‍“We’re thrilled to have the APAC Champs back after three long years off, and even more so to be hosting the inaugural Asia-Pacific Trail Run Championship on the same weekend,” J-D Cousens, XTERRA VP of Operations & Global Marketing, told xterraplanet.com.

“The off-road community in the APAC region has been raring to go for some time now, so it feels great to be able to welcome everybody back with a double-feature weekend that will showcase a new venue for the international athletes, improved bike and run sections, and also just how much XTERRA Taiwan has grown since we began in 2018.”

The event will also include a 29km cross-country mountain bike race, a beginner-friendly 7km fun run, and kids push bike duathlon. There will also be live music, cultural demonstrations, and entertainment spread throughout the weekend. VNS

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