Techcombank HCMC International Marathon affirms global standing

The eighth edition of the Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon concluded last Sunday with great success, becoming one of Vietnam’s largest marathon races with more than 23,000 runners from 81 countries and territories.

The closing and award ceremony saw the attendance of HCMC leaders, partners, sponsors, guests, and participating runners.

Notably, this year’s race witnessed impressive performances by Vietnamese runners competing alongside a large number of international peers.

Among them, Pham Thi Hong Le claimed the championship title in the women’s marathon distance. In the men’s half marathon category, the dramatic sprint finish between champion Duong Minh Hung and Pham Ngoc Phan, with a time difference of less than one second and a finishing time of 1:09:25, became one of the highlights of the 2025 edition.

The race also recorded a significant increase in the number of young runners participating in the 5 km and 10 km distances, reflecting the event’s strong appeal and growing influence within the community.

This year’s event continued to show the remarkable growth of Vietnam’s marathon movement. The professional quality improved as the race attracted seasoned runners alongside emerging young faces, creating one of the most competitive seasons to date.

The fact that many groups and running clubs chose the event as their key competition also contributed to bettering preparations, training discipline, and competition strategies across the running community.

In the men’s full marathon (42.195 km), the competition remained intense until the final kilometers. Ethiopia’s Ayalew Seleshi Simaneh made a decisive surge in the final stretch to finish first with a time of 2:23:13, securing the overall championship.

He was followed by compatriots Wondale Melsew Baye in second place, and Kebede Leta Girma in third with respective times of 2:23:25 and 2:23:34. The remaining spots in the Top 5 went to Ethiopia’s Damte Wendwesen Tilahun with 2:23:54 and Kenya’s Kogei Hosea with 2:24:34, concluding a thrilling marathon race.

In the women’s marathon, Pham Thi Hong Le outperformed a field of strong competitors to take first place with a finishing time of 2:48:10. The next three positions went to Mohamed Yenework Husen, Birehan Marta Tinsae, and Zega Mestu Sirabzu from Ethiopia, while Doan Oanh of Vietnam secured fifth place.

The outstanding performances of the two Vietnamese athletes among a strong international field showcased the competitiveness and breakthrough of local runners, creating pride among spectators.

After hours of intense competition, the event concluded with 108 runners, community clubs, and businesses being honored for their outstanding achievements in overall and age-group categories.

The eighth edition of Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon once again affirmed its powerful influence as a major national-scale community sports event aligned with international standards.

Its success was made possible through the close collaboration of the city authorities, Techcombank as strategic sponsor, organizer Sunrise Events Vietnam, and accompanying partners.

This collective effort forms a strong foundation for continuously enhancing event quality, expanding scale, reaching regional levels, and spreading positive values within the community.