Nghệ An Hosts 7,000 Runners in VnExpress Marathon, Boosting Local Tourism

The VnExpress Marathon Grand Tour Nghệ An has brought together approximately 7,000 runners in Vietnam's central province of Nghệ An. The event aims to promote the province's tourism potential to both domestic and international participants and foster connections within the running community. It also serves as an occasion for expatriates to return home and participate. Hoang Van Phuc, Deputy Director of the Nghe An Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, stated at the opening ceremony that Nghệ An is a land of "geographical and cultural advantages," boasting mountains, rivers, forests, and seas suitable for hosting large-scale sports events. He believes the marathon offers an opportunity to showcase Nghệ An's attractions to the 7,000 participating runners and encourages those who have left the province to return and join. Despite heavy rain, the coordination between the organizing committee, sponsors, and local authorities was described as thorough. Phuc expressed hope that the organizing committee would overcome weather challenges to deliver a meaningful and professional race to the community. Le Thi Van Anh, Director of the Sports Event Center and Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee, thanked local leaders and agencies for their support, acknowledging the presence of media representatives and athlete delegates at the opening ceremony despite the inclement weather. She noted that the enthusiastic and open assistance from the provincial government created a welcoming atmosphere for the organizing committee, despite it being their first time hosting the event in Nghệ An. Van Anh highlighted that each route in Nghệ An is tied to unique stories of the region's cultural and historical significance. She anticipates that the 7,000 marathon runners and 2,500 children participating in the Kun Marathon will have distinctive experiences in the province. Various exchange activities are planned to enhance interaction among runners from Nghệ An and other provinces, including warm-up runs, side events at the expo, and group photos. The VnExpress Marathon Grand Tour Nghệ An features four race distances: 5km, 10km, 21km (half marathon), and 42km (full marathon). All races start at Ho Chi Minh Square. The full marathon begins earliest at 3 AM, followed by the half marathon at 4 AM, the 10km at 5 AM, and the 5km at 6 AM.