Vietnamese Women, Chinese Men Bag Gold Medals at VHM 2019 (Updated)

Liu, the 22-year-old Hongkonger who also bagged the gold medal in April at the 2019 Beijing International Half Marathon, came to the Finish line in Hanoi behind his previous best full-marathon record of 2:15:22.

In the femal group running the full marathon, the top two positions were taken by Vietnamese athletes, namely Pham Thi Hong Le, a 21-year-old member of the Vietnam National Athletics Team (2:55:42), and Leo Thi Tinh, 23. The third place was seized by Chi Ling Mok from Hong Kong.

Vietnamese Pham Thi Hue, 23, was the first among female runners of the 21-km category to cross the Finish line at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi's center, while the gold medal in the 10-km female runners' group belonged to Nguyen Thi Oanh, 24 and in the 5-km category - to Ngo Thi Khanh Ny, 18.

Along with Le, Hue, Oanh and Ny are also members of the national athletics team. Their victory took place on Sunday as the Southeast Asian country marked the Vietnam Women's Day.

Runners attending the 5-km category were the last to arrive, marking the successful completion of what has now become the annual international marathon of Vietnam's capital.

Runners of the VPBank Hanoi Marathon's 10-km category prepare at the Start line at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi's centre on October 20, 2019. Some 7,000 runners, including around 1,500 foreigners, competed in VHM this year, more than double the participants in 2018. Photo by HBM/VHM Race Organizing Committee.

 

 

Earlier, some 1,000 athletes gathered at Hoan Kiem Lake to make their 42-km category start before dawn, followed by 2,000 under the 21-km category and 1,500 of the 10-km distance. Part of the race was covered in a nationwide broadcast by state-run Vietnam Television.

In total, around 7,000 runners, including 1,500 foreign nationals, competed in VHM this year, more than double the participants in 2018, following the certification of the 42-km course by the Association of International Marathons and the Distance Races (AIMS) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Runners from China, France, Japan, Kenya, the Philippines and Thailand were among the 58 countries who checked in for the race. The VHM courses connect Hanoi's famous Old Quarter with key destinations such as the Opera House, the Cathedral, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ba Dinh Square, West Lake and Long Bien Bridge over the Red River.

Hanoi's municipal authority says this international marathon will be held on annual basis. VHM organizers have expressed their hope to attract 10,000 runners in the marathon next year, while their goal for a longer term is to make the race one of the world's major marathons.

The VHM is co-organized by the Dai Bieu Nhan Dan (People's Representative) newspaper, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, DHA Vietnam Company, the Vietnam Athletes Federation and VPBank. DHA is also an organizer for the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon, which is scheduled for November 24.

The next Hanoi marathon will be held on October 18, 2020.

 

	VHM 2019 WINNERS
	42-km Category (M)	Results	Country	42-km Category (W)	Results	Country
1	Liu Hongliang	2:33:50	Hong Kong, China	Pham Thi Hong Le	2:55:42	Vietnam
2	Le Van Tuan	2:34:35	Vietnam	Leo Thi Tinh	3:14:49	Vietnam
3	Hillary Kipkering	2:35:53	Kenya	Chi Ling Mok	3:22:02	Hong Kong, China
	21-km Category (M)		Country	21-km Category (W)		Country
1	Li Chunhui	1:06:54	China	Pham Thi Hue	1:19:43	Vietnam
2	Hoang Nguyen Thanh	1:07:23	Vietnam	Zhang Kaiquin	1:22:51	China
3	Le Trung Duc	1:11:27	Vietnam	Bui Thi Thu Ha	1:24:06	Vietnam
	10-km Category (M)		Country	10-km Category (W)		Country
1	Nguyen Trung Cuong	0:32:55	Vietnam	Nguyen Thi Oanh	0:35:09	Vietnam
2	Stephane Charnet	0:34:19	France	Doan Thu Hang	0:38:13	Vietnam
3	Le Tien Long	0:34:37	Vietnam	Pham Thi Ngot	0:43:19	Vietnam
	5-km Category (M)		Country	5-km Category (W)		Country
1	Son Tien Phat	16:49:01	Vietnam	Ngo Thi Khanh Ny	18:59:06	Vietnam
2	Nguyen Duy Lam	18:04:01	Vietnam	Le Thi Lan	19:02:04	Vietnam
3	Hugo Le Gars	20:01:07		Nguyen Thi Thu Ha	19:05:08	Vietnam

Timing is based on Chip Time.

(HBM. 20.10.2019)