"A triumphant song" on the "land of fire"

The 66th National Marathon and Long Distance Championship - Tien Phong Newspaper 2025 - "Triumphal March" will be held in Quang Tri province from March 28-30, 2025. As one of the most attractive competitions in the national athletics system, this year's event will bring together over 7,400 outstanding Vietnamese athletes, from professional to amateur levels; the diverse prize system includes 131 categories with a total cash prize value of nearly 700 million VND. This is also an opportunity for Quang Tri to promote tourism, cuisine, history, economic development potential, natural landscapes, traditional cultural values, and the friendliness and hospitality of the people of Quang Tri to domestic and international tourists.

The organizing committee expresses gratitude to the sponsoring partners - Photo: BTP

Promising top-tier competitions.

Originally the Tien Phong Newspaper National Cross-Country Race, which began in 1958, the Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long-Distance Championship has developed into a leading long-distance athletics competition nationwide, recognized as an official event in the national athletics competition system. This is not just an athletics competition, but also an event with the mission of spreading the spirit of sports , promoting the development of athletics, running, and physical training among all segments of the population across the country. The message "Triumphal March" of this season is not only an epic about the glorious victory of the nation but also inspires dedication, determination, and the spirit of generations of Vietnamese people in the nation-building process.

The 2025 Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long Distance Championship brings together many talented athletes from across the country, including members of the national team such as Nguyen Thi Oanh, Nguyen Van Lai, Hoang Nguyen Thanh, Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa, etc. According to the organizing committee, more than 7,400 professional and amateur athletes have registered to participate. Athletes will compete for individual prizes in the 21.1 km and 42.195 km distances for men and women in both professional and amateur categories; 10 km for men (professional, youth, and amateur); and 5 km for women (professional, youth, and amateur). Traditionally, in addition to individual competitions, athletes from provincial, city, and sectoral teams will also compete for team and overall points.

According to Le Minh Toan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong Newspaper, after many years of separating the advanced and amateur categories, from 2024 onwards, the Organizing Committee of the race has made a major change in both professional standards and prizes by bringing outstanding athletes from the amateur category in the half-marathon and marathon distances to the same starting line as athletes from the advanced category, promising an exciting competition.

In addition to separate prizes for the two categories, the organizing committee has established a grand prize structure for the top 5 runners, regardless of whether they are advanced or amateur athletes. Athletes participating in the half-marathon and amateur marathon will receive prizes categorized into 5 age groups: 16-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60 and over. With this diverse prize system, the total prize money this year amounts to nearly 700 million VND in cash, along with prizes in kind from sponsors.

Members of the Quang Tri Runners Club are ready to conquer the 2025 Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long Distance Championship - Photo: QTR

To ensure accuracy, the race course was measured by experts from the Vietnam Athletics Federation using specialized equipment and thoroughly checked according to international standards. Athlete Nguyen Khanh Ly, from the Vietnam National Athletics Team, shared: “I registered to participate in the 2025 Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long Distance Championship in the 21.1 km professional category.”

"This competition brings together many of the nation's top athletes, so I aim to finish in the top 3 to give myself more motivation to train." In August 2024, Khanh Ly won first place in the women's 10km race at the Quang Tri Marathon 2024 - Journey to the Land of Fire, along with several other high achievements in national marathons.

With serious and thorough training for the 21.1 km race and a solid foundation for achieving success, Khanh Ly said she is confident she will achieve her goal. The amateur athletes of the Quang Tri Runners Club are actively training to participate in the race and achieve high results, thereby contributing to the club's development and spreading the running and health training movement among all segments of the population in Quang Tri.

A journey connecting the past and the present.

The series of events for the 2025 Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long Distance Championship begins on March 28th, with meaningful activities such as: organizing memorial services at the Truong Son and Highway 9 National Martyrs' Cemeteries; Quang Tri Ancient Citadel; and releasing lanterns on the Thach Han River. The flag-raising ceremony and opening of the race will take place on the morning of March 29th at the Hien Luong - Ben Hai National Special Historical Site.

In addition, there were social welfare activities, including the donation of charitable houses in Quang Tri province in response to the government's call to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses; and the organization of booths displaying products from several businesses and localities.

To ensure the successful organization of the 2025 Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long-Distance Championship, the Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee, in coordination with Tien Phong Newspaper, issued a memorandum of agreement; developed a plan and budget for the event; established the Organizing Committee; and directed relevant departments, agencies, and localities to prepare facilities and support the Organizing Committee's operations. They also developed a plan and organized personnel to ensure security, traffic safety, environmental sanitation, medical care, and transportation to meet the needs of athletes and visitors. Furthermore, they directed the promotion and publicity of the event through various information channels and social media; mobilized youth union members and people from all walks of life in the province to participate and support the race. Finally, they completed the creation of video clips introducing the event, the significance of the medals and competition shirts; and included a simulation of the race route and information related to accommodation, transportation, and tourist attractions in the province. Volunteer forces have been mobilized to assist and guide tourists at the province's tourist destinations during the event. To date, all preparations have been basically completed, ensuring that the event will be a successful and impressive event in Quang Tri.

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Tri Province, Le Minh Tuan

This is also an important activity aimed at celebrating the 118th anniversary of the birth of General Secretary Le Duan and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country on April 30 (1975 - 2025). According to the Organizing Committee, the 2025 Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long Distance Championship is a journey connecting the past and the present, where every step touches history.

This year's race kit embodies the spirit of the soldiers of yesteryear, with the proud green of the military uniform, the legendary bucket hat, and the "Triumphal March" medal—meaningful items to honor the glorious historical milestone of 50 years of national reunification.

Athlete Nguyen Khanh Ly trains seriously, determined to achieve high results at the 2025 Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long Distance Championship - Photo: KL

Sharing his feelings about the competition, Vietnamese national track and field athlete Luong Duc Phuoc said: “Returning to compete in my hometown of Quang Tri is an opportunity for me to participate in many meaningful activities such as paying respects to the heroic martyrs, releasing lanterns on the Thach Han River; admiring the beautiful natural scenery and experiencing the sincere affection of the people of Quang Tri. While eagerly awaiting the opening day of the competition, I am still working hard in training to achieve my goal of finishing in the top 3 best athletes in the men's 10km professional category.”

Hoai Diem Chi

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/khuc-khai-hoan-tren-mien-dat-lua-192435.htm