Nghe An Province is preparing to welcome 4,000 athletes from both domestic and international backgrounds to participate in a marathon event, which will be held for the first time at Ho Chi Minh Square (Vinh City) on August 19th and 20th.
Today (August 10th), the People’s Committee of Nghe An province held a press conference about the “Viet Countryside Marathon – Nghe An 2023: Journey with Faith to the Land of Vi Giam,” in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Sports, and other specialized agencies and organizations. The event will attract 4,000 professional and amateur runners, including foreign participants from countries such as Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Austria, China, India, Afghanistan, and the Taiwan region.
Starting from Ho Chi Minh Square, the runners will traverse familiar routes through Vinh City, along the Lam River, and take in the renowned Bến Thủy ferry. Participants can choose from four different distances: 5km, 10km, 21km, and 42km.
Mr. Bui Dinh Long, Vice Chairman of the Nghe An People’s Committee and Head of the organizing committee, stated that this is the first large-scale professional marathon to be held in Nghe An. Each runner will be an ambassador for Nghe An’s tourism. Therefore, the province sees this as an opportunity to promote the image of Nghe An – the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh – to both domestic and international visitors.
“The shared spirit of the province is a determination to do our best. We commit to providing maximum support for the success of this event. Many of the province’s officials have registered to participate in the run to support the event,” Mr. Long shared.
Mr. Bui Dinh Long – Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee (left) and Mr. Nguyen Duc Quang – Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Rural Magazine – Photo: Quoc Huy
According to the organizing committee, as of now, preparations for the event are complete. Challenges related to transportation, checkpoints, and ensuring adequate lighting for the runners have been delegated to relevant departments and agencies by Nghe An province. The goal is to ensure the safety of all runners as they complete their race.
The organizing committee hopes that through this sports activity, participants will have the opportunity to explore regions full of diversity. These areas offer not only beautiful nature and historical-cultural sites but also unique agricultural products and exquisitely prepared dishes that are found nowhere else.
Marathon to the Vi Giam region was held for the first time on a large scale in Nghe An. Photo: Hoang Cuong
With the “Viet Countryside Marathon – Nghe An 2023: Journey with Faith to the Land of Vi Giam,” Nghe An province officially joins the map of national running destinations. Following Hue and Quang Binh, Nghe An becomes the next locality in the North Central Coast region to host a professional marathon. This move aims to promote regional connections and stimulate tourism in the region and nationwide, aligning with the motto of the National Administration of Tourism: “Safe and Attractive Vietnam Experience.”
Vice Chairman of the Nghe An People’s Committee, Bui Dinh Long, expressed his expectation: “This event will create new development incentives. At the same time, it establishes a precedent for other events, for various disciplines (not just running) to come here and see Nghe An as a new, attractive stop. And I believe Nghe An has the potential and resources to successfully host such major events.”
@Vietnamnet
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Source: Vietnam Insider