More than 11,000 runners from 38 countries and territories, along with over 200 running clubs nationwide, gathered in Hanoi on the morning of October 18 for the VPBank Hanoi International Marathon 2026 (VPIM 2026).
Held under the theme “Hanoi Vibes – The City Moves”, this year’s event offered a new way to experience the capital. The route brought runners through familiar historical and cultural sites, with the energy of tens of thousands of participants shaping the atmosphere.
The race began at 1:30am, as more than 11,000 participants set off on the 42km, 21km, 10km and 5km distances.
Against the backdrop of Hanoi’s October autumn, runners started in the Dinh Tien Hoang street area beside Hoan Kiem Lake. The route, certified by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, passed more than 30 of the capital’s well-known landmarks.
The 42km full marathon took runners past Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake and Thien Quang Lake, as well as President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel and Hanoi Flag Tower.
Participants also crossed three well-known bridges: Long Bien, Nhat Tan and Dong Tru.
This year’s 42km race featured strong performances from leading runners.
Former national athletics team member Pham Thi Hong Le defended her women’s marathon title for the second consecutive year.
She finished in 2 hours 47 minutes 52 seconds, breaking her own event record and improving on her 2025 time of 2 hours 53 minutes 57 seconds by nearly six minutes.
In the men’s category, Huynh Anh Khoi won convincingly, crossing the finish line first in 2 hours 31 minutes 49 seconds. The runner, born in 2003, claimed the VPIM title for the second consecutive year.
Running clubs set up 10 cheering stations along the route to encourage participants as they tackled the different distances.
VPIM 2026 was held for the seventh consecutive year. It was also the 20th running event organised as part of VPBank’s efforts to promote community sports. The total number of participants across the bank’s sporting events has exceeded 140,000.
Pham Xuan Tai, Deputy Director of Hanoi’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said events such as VPIM 2026 help promote the capital’s cultural identity and welcoming image among international visitors, while also supporting tourism and the sports economy.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
