Runner Kenya - Vietnam join hands to reach the finish line

About 200 meters from the finish line of VnExpress Marathon Nha Trang, Victor Chepkwony - the runner-up - held hands with a Vietnamese runner running 21km, smiling brightly as they crossed the finish line together.

Victor Chepkwony participated in the VnExpress Marathon for the first time in Nha Trang on the morning of August 13. Before the race, he was predicted to be the number one candidate for the championship. However, things did not go as planned. The appearance of Hiroki Nakajima ruined Victor's championship plan. The Japanese runner was the most outstanding name when he finished after 2 hours and 33 minutes, leaving Victor far behind.

Although he could not win the championship, Victor still left an interesting moment. Not far from the finish line, he saw runner Phan Anh Son (running 21km) in front of him holding out his hand. Victor comfortably approached and held Anh Son's hand. Both raised their hands high, smiled, and then walked towards the finish line amid the cheers of a large audience. Crossing the finish line, while Anh Son happily raised his hands in celebration, Victor collapsed, looking tired after a long, exhausting race. His face was also disappointed because he did not win the championship as his original goal.

Victor Chepkwony holds hands with Vietnamese runner at the finish line. Photo: VM

The Kenyan runner said he did not expect to have a strong opponent in the race. Moreover, in the past two months, Victor has participated in races across Southeast Asia at a high frequency. His physical strength has declined. The hot weather combined with the steep slopes on Luong Son Pass quickly eroded Victor's fighting spirit. Although the result was not as expected, Victor said he was happy to receive support and encouragement from everyone. He will take time to rest and affirm that he will return to Vietnam to compete next year.

Victor Chepkwony is a member of the professional running team Dever. His best time is 2 hours and 19 minutes. In recent VnExpress Marathons, Dever has always sent athletes to participate. Two of Victor's compatriots, Ezikiel Kemboi and Shelmit Muriuki, have both won the VnExpress Marathon. Ezikiel won the 42km race at the Ho Chi Minh City night race, while Shelmit has won two consecutive VM Quy Nhon and Nha Trang races. The success of his compatriots has given Victor more motivation to return to the next races.

Shelith - Victor's compatriot won the women's 42km race. Photo: VM

Runner and Victor crossed the finish line - Phan Anh Son said he did not think he would have the chance to hold hands with the high-achieving athlete across the finish line. The runner from Dak Nong said this was a rare experience, leaving one of the most beautiful moments in his life. He crossed the 21km finish line after 1 hour and 41 minutes.

The second season of VnExpress Marathon Marvelous Nha Trang ended with a memorable result. 11,000 athletes had an emotional race. The tournament had 300 foreign runners competing in all distances. Since the beginning of the year, this is the tournament with the most international athletes achieving high results and standing on the podium. This is also the first time that both male and female championships have been won by foreign runners. This contributes to promoting professional quality, motivating domestic runners to strive and improve their achievements.

Hoai Phuong

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