The 23^rd DA NANG Newspaper Road Races took place at the Tien Son Sport Arena on 21 December.

Chairman Tho (3rd left) and Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Journalists’ Association Mai Duc Loc (5th left) taking a souvenir photo with representatives from the groups of participating runners

Present at the event were municipal People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho, Head of the municipal Party Committee’s Department of Publicity and Training Tran Dinh Hong, Head of the municipal Party Committee’s Mass Mobilisation Board Pham Quy, and People’s Committee Vice Chairman Le Trung Chinh, along with representatives from departments and agencies across the city.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, DA NANG Newspaper Editor-in-chief Nguyen Duc Nam, expressed his sincere thanks to the city leaders for their great care for the newspaper’s annual races.

He also underlined the importance of the event in promoting the development of high-achievement sports in Da Nang, as well as inspiring people from all walks of life, civil servants, pupils and students, military officers and men across the city to actively get involved in physical training movements.

DA NANG Newspaper Editor-in-chief cum Head of the competition’s organisers Nguyen Duc Nam (3rd, right) presenting flowers and medals to sponsors

Mr Nam noted this year’s event attracted over 800 who were employees from government agencies and companies, students from junior and senior high schools, vocational schools, junior colleges and universities across the city, and officers and men from the city-based armed forces. Specially, it had the participation of nearly 100 professional runners of 13 teams from the provinces of Lang Son, Lai Chau, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Gia Lai and Dak Lak, plus the city’s branch of the National Sports Training Centre, the Hue Sports Intermediate School, and the Da Nang Athlete Training Centre.

Male professional athletes at the competition

Also, the newspaper’s leader took the opportunity to thank the event’s sponsors for their active support. They included the Military Zone 5 High Command, the Vinamilk Company, the city’s branch of MBBank, the city-based 29 March Textiles and Garments Company, the Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper Printing House, the city's branch of Heineken Vietnam Brewery, and the VN Da Thanh Group.

In the end, most notably, for the 13^th consecutive year, Thanh Khe District secured top position in the team category for the city’s districts.

Editor-in-chief Nam and representatives of the districts’ team category prize winners

Also, the winners in the team categories of junior and senior high schools, universities, commune and ward-level militia, self-defence, and military army forces were from the Hoa Vang District Office of Education and Training, the Pham Phu Thu Senior High School, the city-based Architecture University, Hoa Cuong Nam Ward, the Da Nang Power Company, and the Special Police Battalion No 3 respectively.

The newspaper’s Deputy Editors-in-Chief Hua Van Hai presenting prizes to outstanding runners

Besides, Nguyen Huu Toan from Quang Tri Province claimed the first prize of the men’s individual category for professional athletes, whilst Tran Thi Hoa from Ha Nam Province took the first prize of the women’s individual category for professional athletes.

By NGUYEN AN - Translated by MAI DUNG