Marathon

Huỳnh Anh Khôi crosses the finish line of the VPBank Đất Sen Hồng Music Marathon 2025 on October 12 in Đồng Tháp Province. Photos courtesy of Nexus Sports Events

ĐỒNG THÁP — National top amateur runner Huỳnh Anh Khôi reinforced his status as Việt Nam’s leading long-distance athlete after storming to victory in the men’s 42km event at the VPBank Đất Sen Hồng Music Marathon 2025 on October 12 in Đồng Tháp Province.

Khôi broke away from the pack early and steadily widened the gap throughout the race. Despite strong challenges from veteran runner Lê Văn Tuấn and Cambodian marathon star Vann Pheara, he held his lead to the finish line.

He crossed the line in 2hr 32.18min, six minutes ahead of Pheara, while Tuấn finished third with a time of 2:42.13.

The victory marked Khôi’s second win in just two weeks, following his triumph at the HBBank Cần Giờ Marathon 2025 on September 28, where he clocked 2:27.18 to set a new personal best and become Việt Nam’s 11th fastest marathoner.

In the women’s category, Lê Thị Hà took first place with a time of 3:00.42, followed by Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Lan at 3:02.08 and Nguyễn Thị Thu Hà at 3:09.16.

Lê Thị Hà on the way to the finish.

The winners of the 21km categories were Phạm Ngọc Phan (1:13.37) in the men’s class and Nguyễn Khánh Ly (1:27.21) in the women’s.

The organisers also presented awards to the champions of the 10km and 5km races, as well as the age group winners.

As the largest running event in the southwest region, the marathon featured about 12,000 participants and many visitors over three days from October 10 to 12 for both racing and the expo.

Runners and visitors have chances to enjoy sport and music activities in three days of the tournament.

The fourth edition of the tournament also entertained spectators with a vibrant festival of music, culture and tourism.

“The tournament created an impressive highlight with Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) international standard running routes, leading athletes through historical and symbolic sites of Đồng Tháp such as the Cao Lãnh Bridge, tree-lined central streets and riverside countryside. Each step led runners to discover, experience and connect with the culture and people here,” said vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Huỳnh Minh Tuấn,.

He added that the race was the first major cultural event held after the merger of Tiền Giang and Đồng Tháp. It was not only a physical race but also a symbol of solidarity and progress, marking an important milestone in the new development journey of this land rich in cultural and historical traditions. VNS