DA NANG (VNS) — More than 1,000 athletes from 54 countries and territories will compete in the Ironman, an international triathlon, in the coastal central city of Da Nang on May 10.

The event organiser said the triathletes would begin with a 1.9km ocean swim off the beautiful Hyatt Regency Da Nang Resort and Spa on Sunday morning.

Then the athletes will race over a scenic two-loop 90km bike course, starting from the resort on Truong Sa Street and winding through Vo Nguyen Giap, Hoang Sa, Le Duc Tho and Thuan Phuoc Bridge, and further to Nguyen Tat Thanh and back.

The final 21km run will also start from Hyatt Regency and pass through Truong Sa, Vo Nguyen Giap and Hoang Sa and back.

The athletes will take at least eight hours to finish a muscle sport race in hot tropical weather in the central city.

The event's organising committee said Hong Kong would send the largest team of 161 members.

The race offers US$15,000 in professional prize money.

Viet Nam is the 30th country in the world and the eighth Asia-Pacific country to host an Ironman triathlon. –— VNS