As one of the coordinating units for the tournament, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports plays a crucial role. A reporter from HanoiMoi Newspaper had an interview with Mr. Pham Xuan Tai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, about the highlights in terms of professional quality, organization, and future development direction of the tournament.
The Hanoi Moi Newspaper Run is a source of pride for the capital city.
- Sir, the Hanoi Moi Newspaper Run has gone through a 50-year journey of development. Looking back on that journey, how do you assess the significance and scale of the race?
- The Hanoi Moi Newspaper Run is one of the most traditional and widely popular amateur sports events in the country. From its early days with only a few hundred participants, the race has now become a major sports and social event, attracting tens of thousands of people from Hanoi, provinces and cities nationwide, as well as international participants.
In particular, the race is not simply a sporting competition; it also carries profound political, cultural, and humanitarian significance, closely linked to the "National Movement for Physical Training Following the Example of the Great President Ho Chi Minh," and the slogan "For Peace"—a consistent message that Hanoi—the City for Peace—always wants to convey to the world. The race has accompanied the development of the capital for half a century, witnessing significant economic and social changes, while contributing to building the image of a civilized, dynamic, and sports-loving Hanoi. That is why today, we can affirm: The Hanoi Moi Newspaper Race is a source of pride for the people of Hanoi and a beautiful symbol of the strength of unity and the aspiration for peace.
- Over 49 seasons, the Hanoi Moi Newspaper Running Race has been held in numerous schools, agencies, organizations, and localities, becoming an annual sporting event eagerly awaited by many amateur athletes. In your opinion, what aspects best demonstrate the widespread impact of the race?
- Since its first edition in 1974, with the participation of 468 male and female athletes from 4 inner-city districts and 4 suburban districts of Hanoi, over half a century, the Hanoi Moi Newspaper Running Race has continuously developed and improved, attracting thousands of athletes and rightfully earning its reputation as one of Vietnam's most traditional sporting events.
I believe the widespread appeal of the Hanoi Moi Newspaper Running Race is evident in three main points. Firstly, the race has become a widespread mass sports movement. Many generations of students, officials, workers, and members of the armed forces have been involved with the race, considering it a true festival.
Furthermore, the tournament serves as an environment for discovering and training sporting talents for the country. Over the past 50 years, many amateur athletes who started from the Hanoi Moi Newspaper Run have become national team members, bringing glory to the nation. In addition, the race contributes to strengthening international friendship and solidarity. Many international friends, especially officials and staff from embassies in Hanoi, and international organizations, have participated in the race with a spirit of exchange and connection. This is clear evidence of the message "For Peace" that the city of Hanoi always affirms.
Aiming for an international-level tournament .
- How do you assess the dramatic increase in the number of athletes over the seasons?
- I believe that the growth in numbers is the clearest evidence of the tournament's appeal and prestige. If there were only quantity without quality, the tournament would hardly be able to sustainably maintain and develop for 50 years. The important thing is that the quality of athletes, the organization, and the overall movement are constantly improving. Athletes come to the tournament not only to participate in the movement, but also to compete professionally, with thorough preparation in terms of technique and physical fitness.
In particular, regarding the quality of the Hanoi Moi Newspaper Running Race, from the perspective of a professional organization, I affirm that it is one of the best amateur races in terms of professional quality currently. Despite its mass participation nature, the race is always organized systematically and professionally, increasingly approaching professional competition standards. Many participating units prepare very carefully, sending athletes with strong physical fitness and technical skills. Notably, the race also attracts an increasing number of professional athletes and national team members, helping to raise the overall quality.
- Could you elaborate on the factors that have contributed to the improved professional quality of the tournament in recent years?
- First and foremost, we standardize the race course, ensuring it meets the technical regulations of professional races. The race distances are carefully calculated to suit different age groups and participants. In addition, we apply technology to the organization process through steps such as registration, list verification, timekeeping, and result compilation. All are done using modern software, ensuring accuracy, fairness, and transparency. The race also has a team of professional and experienced referees, mobilized to ensure high-quality expertise and accurate handling of situations during the competition.
- This year marks the 50th anniversary of the tournament. What innovations has the organizing committee implemented to further improve the professional quality of the season?
- First and foremost is the standardization of the race course, ensuring compliance with the technical regulations of the races. This year, we are paying special attention to specialization and integration. In addition to maintaining the traditional spirit, the race has been expanded in both scale and organizational format, alongside categories for students, officials, and workers… While the 2024 season only attracted athletics teams from 12 provinces, cities, and sectors, this year there are 16 provinces, cities, and sectors sending athletes to participate. This shows that the prestige, appeal, and scale of the race are increasingly expanding and spreading throughout society.
In addition, a new feature of this year's race is the inclusion of a 1,750m event for sponsors, for both men and women. This is an effort by the Organizing Committee to encourage athletes from amateur running clubs and high-level independent runners, thereby increasing the attractiveness of the event.
The organizers are also striving to make the tournament more professional, from measuring performance using electronic chips to preparing logistics, medical services, and security according to international marathon standards; thereby continuing to invest in depth and build the brand of sports in the capital city.
- The Hanoi Moi Newspaper Run is one of the key sporting events of Hanoi city. What are the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports' plans to further improve the professional quality of the race in the future, sir?
- In the coming period, the Hanoi Moi Newspaper Running Race will continue to be one of the key amateur sports events in the capital, while developing towards a semi-professional and near-professional direction. The Department will continue to invest in technology and human resources, improving the professional level of amateur teams; connecting with domestic and international athletics competitions to help athletes from this race go further. In addition, the Department will also combine the development of a sports tourism model, transforming the race into an attractive cultural, sports, and tourism product of Hanoi.
- What message would you like to convey to the athletes and the public participating in this year's race?
- I hope that every athlete participating in the tournament does so not only out of passion for the sport, but also with a spirit of dedication, fair play, and pride in participating in a 50-year-old traditional tournament.
With professional preparation, high-quality referees, and excellent competition conditions, I believe the athletes will have a memorable experience and achieve the best possible results.
Thank you very much, sir!
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/pho-giam-doc-so-van-hoa-va-the-thao-ha-noi-pham-xuan-tai-khang-dinh-tam-voc-mot-giai-the-thao-giau-truyen-thong-717554.html
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