Marathon

Michele Wee, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam, waves the flag of the Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race at the launching ceremony. Photo kinhtedothi.vn

HÀ NỘI — Standard Chartered marathon brand will come to Việt Nam in 2024 after the British multinational bank became main sponsor of the Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race.

The news was published at the closing ceremony of the 2023 season where the organisers honouring the champions and all crew, staff and volunteers who made up a successful race.

Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race will take place on the first weekend of November every year, with participants running past heritage sites and famous landmarks in the city's Old Quarter area.

"First of all, I would like to congratulate DHA Vietnam on the success of the Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race. Congratulations to all the runners," said Michele Wee, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam.

"Having been in Việt Nam for almost three years, I’m very much impressed with the enthusiasm of the local running community and their growing passion for marathons. 

"Việt Nam is a key market in our global footprint. We continue to invest more into the country to better serve our clients, colleagues and the community. We want to support your passion and offer you world-class experience. 

"I am excited to announce that we will be introducing our iconic Standard Chartered Marathon brand to the vibrant streets of Hà Nội through our title sponsorship of the Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race." 

Wee said Standard Chartered had a rich history of hosting prestigious marathons since 1997. Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon was the first and the biggest one with the participation of over 70,000 runners pre-COVID. 

Standard Chartered was pleased to partner with DHA Vietnam to bringing the first edition of the Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race to Hà Nội, an event that celebrated the richness of culture and heritage, which resonated with Standard Chartered as one of the oldest international banks in Việt Nam. 

The Standard Chartered Marathon will take place in November every year. Photo courtesy of organisers

"Leveraging the expertise from our Standard Chartered Marathon franchise, we aim to bring the best of traditions and modern race technology to elevate the experience for all," she added. 

"It will be a race for everyone – bringing people from all walks of life together to stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle, while binding our community through the shared values of resilience and determination. 

"We look forward to welcoming you to the inaugural Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race in 2024."

This is the first time Standard Chartered has officially sponsored a large-scale marathon in Việt Nam.

The 2024 marathon will be one of key activities to celebrate the bank's 120 years operating in the country.

It is the 10th event in the world well-known Standard Chartered Marathon system. Among nine other events, the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon and Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon are World Athletics Gold Label races.

Held annually since 2018, the Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race is an official running event in the capital city.

Its four routes are standardised by experts of the Việt Nam Athletics Federation and International Association of Marathons and Long Distance Running (AIMS).

Athletes' results at the marathon can be applied for any race in the six World Marathon Majors. VNS