Marathon

HÀ NỘI   Kenyan runners dominated the full marathon events of the annual VPBank International Marathon 2024 (VPIM) in Hà Nội yesterday.

As the world's leading marathon country Kenya produces world-class athletes and Japhet Rono is one of them. However he is a new face in Việt Nam and met a huge challenge from strong rivals including country fellow Edwin Yebei Kiptoo, who has won a number of titles here, alongside several strong local runners.

Rono could only separate from the chasing pack over the final kilometres, completing the race in a time of 2hr 35.23min. He was only 19 seconds faster than title favourite Kiptoo. Third place went to Vietnamese runner Vũ Đình Duân who clocked in at 2:44.14.

Also from Kenya, Jane Wanjiru Muiriuki left all female rivals behind to take gold medal in a time of 3:00.36.

She set a big gap to her nearest runners-up Nông Thị Chang and Phạm Thị Bình.

Chang, a leading amateur runner of Việt Nam, won Green Cần Giờ Marathon and VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhơn earlier this year. She tried hard to catch up with Muiriuki in the last kilometres but failed and accepted silver with a time of 3:06.49.

Việt Nam's former SEA Games marathon champion Bình, who returned to running after years working as a coach, finished third at 3:11.02. 

In the 21km distance, Benson Oloisunga, another Kenyan representative, won the men's class in 1:11.17. He was followed by Vietnamese competitors Tòng Văn Hoàn at 1:15.25 and Lò Văn Hồng at 1:15.27.

National team member Bùi Thị Thu Hà crossed the finish line after 1:21.24, beating Vietnamese Hán Thị Minh Thư who came in at 1:24.21, and Chepngetich Langat of Kenya running time 1:24.24.

Langat's defeat was a surprise as she just topped the Techcombank Hanoi International Marathon last month.

In other categories, SEA Games 800m and 1,500 champion Lương Đức Phước won the men's 10km in 33.37min while Đoàn Thu Hằng triumphed the women's 10km in 38.27.

Sầm Văn Đời topped the men's 5km, in a time of just 17.31, while SEA Games 5,000m silver medallist Bùi Thị Ngân took the women's crown in 18.17. 

The VPIM 2024 attracted about 11,000 marathoners from 20 countries and regions taking part in the entertaining routes that featured performance of national famous singers through street stages, as well as on the main stage at the finish.

A big bonus of about VNĐ1 billion including cash and gifts were delivered to high-ranking runners.

Athletes' results can be used to apply for the six World Marathon Majors as all four routes were AIMS-certificated. VNS