The scheduled schedule was from 4 p.m., but from 10 a.m. on April 11, runners gradually arrived at the office of the Lao Dong Newspaper (127 Vo Van Tan, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3), rushing to receive their BIBs in time for work and afternoon activities.
Bustling preparations
At the official distribution session, after just under an hour, hundreds of athletes completed the procedure of receiving their race bib and racekit with the enthusiastic guidance of dozens of volunteers as well as members of the Organizing Committee.
One of the earliest athletes to receive a BIB was former winter athlete Tran Thi Doan Trang. Still actively training and building strength to wait for the decision to call her up for the 2026 Winter Olympics, the bobsleigh racer arrived early and received the VIP jersey number V6221. She tried her hand at the 6km distance for the first time when she was already familiar with physical training sessions in which running was an indispensable "category".
Athlete Tran Thi Doan Trang eagerly shows off her special running BIB. Photo: DONG LINH
Not coming to receive the BIB in person, Ambassador ST Son Thach and Meritorious Artist Vo Minh Lam authorized relatives to complete the receiving procedures on their behalf. Familiar running groups such as Agrirun, Vietcombank , NamABank, Binh Chanh Runners Club also completed their registration for the race early, waiting to be ready for the battle.
Agrirun representative received BIBs for the entire running group. Photo: DONG LINH
The Organizing Committee will continue to hand out BIBs and Racekits to athletes on the morning of April 12, from 9am until all are distributed, expected at 12pm on the same day. This afternoon (April 12), the tournament opens with 70 young athletes on the 1.5km Kid Run. On the morning of April 13, nearly 2,300 professional and amateur runners will officially compete in 3 distances of 6km, 11km and 21km.
Previously, from the morning of April 10, more than 1,000 athletes in Binh Chanh district came to receive their jerseys, BIBs and Racekits at the district's Culture - Sports - Communication Center. Everything went smoothly and quickly, completing procedures for nearly 50% of the athletes participating in the tournament.
Volunteer force ready
One of the unique features of the 2nd "Proud of My Fatherland" Half-marathon - 2025 is the appearance of 90 officers and soldiers of Gia Dinh Regiment as volunteers, participating in the tournament's operations in many areas of work. Ten squads are responsible for guiding athletes at the starting point, supporting water stations, maintaining order on the three-distance running course as well as coordinating forces at the finish line, supporting the opening and closing ceremonies.
This is one of the contents of the coordination activities between the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of the two units of the Lao Dong Newspaper and the Gia Dinh Regiment. Not only strengthening the cooperative relationship, solidarity between the army and the people, creating a healthy exchange environment, contributing to spreading the image of Uncle Ho's soldiers in the new era, the coordination of activities for the 2nd Half-marathon "Proud of My Fatherland" - 2025 also helps the two units gain more experience in the work of the Union, youth work as well as organizing major events.
Like the first season, Binh Chanh District Youth Union continued to recruit and organize training for about 100 volunteers who are youth union members, who are very familiar with the terrain and local roads and are ready to become effective "assistants" on the race track for the athletes. Among this force, there are two doctors specializing in I and II from the International Hospital who have participated in volunteer work, supporting the race in both seasons.
The 2nd "Proud of My Fatherland" Half-marathon - 2025 is held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025); the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper (July 28, 1975 - July 28, 2025).
The entire competition distance of the tournament takes place on the spacious and well-maintained asphalt roads of Tan Nhut and Le Minh Xuan communes (Binh Chanh district). Along with famous historical sites such as the Revolutionary Traditional Area of the General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of Mau Than 1968, athletes participating in the tournament will also have the opportunity to admire the Vietnam Buddhist Academy (branch 2 in Ho Chi Minh City) in Le Minh Xuan commune - the venue for the United Nations Day of Vesak (VESAK) 2025 in early May.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/giai-half-marathon-tu-hao-to-quoc-toi-lan-2-2025-san-sang-cho-ngay-khai-mac-196250411213358322.htm
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