Over 9,000 professional and amateur runners from 67 countries and territories took part in the Da Nang International Marathon 2019 (DNIM 2019) on Sunday, 11 August.

DNIM 2019 saw the highest-ever number of domestic competitors

Of these, nearly 1,000 runners competed in the 42.195 km full marathon, 2,236 in the 21 km half-marathon, 2,052 in the 10 km race, and the remaining 3,336 in the 5km run.

Runners participated in DNIM 2019 with the purpose of not only trying to gain their best possible sports achievements but also raising money to help local disadvantaged people.

Especially, Vietnamese participants in DNIM 2019 were over 6,600, marking the highest-ever number of domestic competitors recorded in such competition since 2013. This has demonstrated the development of running movement in the country, as well as a positive awareness of Vietnamese people in general, and of younger generations in particular, about physical practice to improve their health.

By hosting the annual international sports event, the organisers want to introduce international friends to Da Nang - a friendly, hospitable, dynamic and very energetic seaside city.

Vietnamese runner Le Tan Hi (in white) won the full marathon for men

Most notably, domestic competitors were very successful in all the races. 

In detail, in the 42.195 km full marathon for men, Le Tan Hi from Viet Nam won the race in 2 hours 40 mins 51 secs, followed by Le Van Tuan also from Viet Nam with the time of 2 hours 42 mins 36 secs. The third prize went to Hideyuki Mamiya from Japan who finished the race in 2 hours 43 mins 19 secs.

Hong Kong-American Marcia Zhou finished first in the full marathon for women

In the same run for women, Hong Kong-American Marcia Zhou came first in a time of 2 hours 57 mins 57 secs, followed by Japanese competitors Yuki Mizuseda and Chiaki Yoshida who finished in 3 hours 7 mins 18 secs and 3 hours 19 mins 28 secs respectively.

Vietnamese marathon runner Nguyen Thi Huong took the first prize in the 21 km half-marathon for women, while Yuko Tanimura from Japan and Heidi Makinen from Finland were the runner-ups.

Nguyen Thi Duong was named the fastest female runner

In the men’s half marathon, Japanese runner Takumi Hasebe finished in 1 hour 11 mins and 24 secs to take first, 3.5 mins faster than Swiss runner Fabian Downs who finished second with a time of 1 hour 14 mins 19 secs. Hikaru Urano from Japan ranked third with a time of 1 hour 14mins 52secs. Le Quang Hoa from Viet Nam finished 4^th place in the race.

Participating in DNIM 2019, international athletes were impressed by the friendliness of Da Nang citizens.

Malaysia’s Wai Ching Soh won the men’s 10km, while Vietnamese-American runner Hong Phi Luong took the win in the women’s same race.

Le Tan Hi and Nguyen Thi Duong were named Vietnamese fastest runners, so they will get free entries for the Shonan International Marathon in Japan this December.

Municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman Chinh (left) presenting prizes to top 3 finishers in the full marathon for women