Marathon

Huỳnh Anh Khôi crosses the finish line of the Đất Sen Hồng Music Marathon on October 12 in Đồng Tháp Province. Photo courtesy of Nexus Media

Thanh Hà

The closer he got to the finish line, the faster he ran under the raucous cheering of the supporters. Huỳnh Anh Khôi was again the fastest in a marathon that featured more than 12,000 participants in Đồng Tháp Province.

It was his second win within just two weeks, confirming his status as the current "king" of the amateur running community in Việt Nam.

Khôi, 22, grew up in a poor family of 11 in HCM City and was aware that he needed to become the main breadwinner to help them.

He showed his sporting talent as a schoolboy. At age 14, he became member of the city's athletic squad, specialising in 400m, a race that demands a unique combination of explosive speed, endurance and strategic pacing.

Huỳnh Anh Khôi is currently one of the best amateur marathoners in Việt Nam.

However, after five years of athletics he struggled with injuries and could not support his family. He had to put his dream aside and worked as a delivery man, sales staff and personal trainer to support his mother and help raise younger siblings.

But when one door closed another opened, as Khôi found that marathons would not only allow him to run again, but also bring him a stable income.

"Initially, I thought the marathon was beyond my ability. But after practising regularly, I realised that the important thing is not speed but discipline and endurance," said Khôi.

"Marathon is not a sprint but a journey of perseverance, determination and the spirit of overcoming adversity. I was not a sprint runner, I knew I belonged to marathon racing."

In his first days, Khôi tried to run 8km with a pace of 4.30 but failed. Two months later, with the help of an experienced runner, he became a true marathoner after finishing the first 42km race in the Vũng Tàu Oneway event in under three hours -- an impressive milestone for a runner in such a short period of time.

Huỳnh Anh Khôi builds his own plan to practise marathon. He runs without using energy gels or functional foods.

Racing to rise

His progress has been literally rapid, and each race is a leap in performance. It took him just over two hours and 45 minutes to complete the Techcombank Marathon HCM City in December 2023.

Three months later, he set a personal record with a time of 2:37.14 for second place in the Đà Nẵng International Marathon. He was just seven seconds slower than the winner, Kenyan Edwin Kiptoo.

He asked Kiptoo, who has established his dominance in Việt Nam's running movement, to be his pacer throughout the race.

"My English was not good but he still understood and agreed to help me although we were in the same race. I did not feel self-conscious running next to an athlete from Africa, the world hub of running, but very excited and so I ran better," he said.

The result placed him No 24 in the list of Việt Nam's fastest marathoners. More importantly, he was closer to his specific and very realistic target of earning money to help his family.

Huỳnh Anh Khôi (left) runs in the Đà Lạt Music Run 2025 in June.

"Before each competition, I have to plan carefully. I will skip those with a low prize or no chance in the top finishers group because I don't have much money for travelling and accommodation," Khôi said.

After the Đà Nẵng event, Khôi became a familiar name in the community and even a regular face on the podiums.

With a professional coach, Khôi built his own training plan of running up to 160km per week with a friend, monitoring his progress, assessing his weaknesses and adjusting his training methods to ensure daily improvement.

Running machine

"I often watch elite athletes to learn their tactics and how to deal with difficulties. Whenever I find my weaknesses, I will try to improve immediately," Khôi said.

"Marathons teach me how to listen to my body and help me grow up strongly. It clearly depicts my will. Every kilometre I run is a fight with fatigue and a way to teach myself to overcome things that seem impossible."

Huỳnh Anh Khôi runs to please his passion for athletics and earn his family's living.

His first victory in the VnExpress Marathon Hạ Long 2024 was a milestone in his career. No longer the quiet runner, Khôi stepped out and took the highest podium, asserting himself through tireless efforts.

Since then, he has collected titles from many races. In 2025 alone he triumphed in the Đà Nẵng International Marathon in March, VnExpress Marathon Huế in April, VnExpress Marathon Hạ Long in May, and VnExpress Marathon Đà Nẵng in July.

He set a new personal best of 2:27.18 in the HDBank Green Marathon in September and jumped to the top 11 among national marathoners before winning the Đất Sen Hồng Music Marathon last weekend.

Spirit of endurance

"Khôi has a strong spirit and is very eager to learn. He always finds ways to improve himself," said amateur coach Quang Thế Quyền, who guided Khôi in marathons from his early days.

"He clearly understands the value of every penny he earns from racing, so he never runs spontaneously but with clear plan. I believe that if he had stable support, Khôi would perform even better."

Huỳnh Anh Khôi sprints to the finish line to set his new PR in the HDBank Green Marathon in September.

Khôi also runs to connect with the community. In addition to sharing his experience as a coach in a running club, he also wants to meet and exchange opinions with runners in all localities he visits.

To him, each race serves as an opportunity to meet and explore new lands where he collects not only medals but also the memories of people and their smiles along the route.

"I want to run across Việt Nam, meet the running community in each region, explore the culture and bring the marathon spirit closer to everyone. If I can live out my dream, make a living and take care of my family by running, that would be the best for me," Khôi said. VNS