Exciting Ho Chi Minh City Marathon Season 8

The Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon enters its 8th season with a more than 30% increase in the number of athletes, continuing to be a sporting icon of the city.

The 8th Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon kicked off with a solemn opening ceremony and press conference, under the direction of the City People's Committee, the Department of Tourism , the Department of Culture and Sports, and the Ho Chi Minh City Athletics Federation, along with the organizing unit and sponsors. The event continues to be considered a symbolic race of the city, and a key activity in the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Week 2025, linking sports with tourism and culture in the strategy of building a world-class megacity.

This year, the race maintains its position as the largest street race in Vietnam with over 23,000 athletes from 81 countries and territories, an increase of over 30% compared to 2024 and more than five times the number in the first season. Athletes compete in four distances: 42.195 km, 21.1 km, 10 km, and 5 km, along a route passing through 17 iconic landmarks such as the Independence Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the City Post Office , and the Ba Son Bridge, creating a journey where the past, present, and future intertwine.

The tournament also attracted top domestic and international athletes such as Nguyen Van Lai, Pham Thi Hong Le, Hua Thuan Long, Dang Anh Quyet, Edwin Kiptoo, Lilan Kennedy, and Birehan Marta, promising fierce competition. The entire event was broadcast live on digital platforms.

The race continues to spread humanitarian values through charitable and social welfare activities, supporting people in flood-affected areas, the "For the Poor" Fund, the Association for the Support of Poor Patients, the Fund for the Support of Sports Talents, etc. The online race "Run for the Future of Vietnamese Children" attracted more than 21,000 participants, recorded over 440,000 valid kilometers, and contributed more than 4.2 billion VND to the Touching Love Fund.

In addition, the KIDS RUN race for children aged 5-14, with two distances of 1.5 km and 3 km, contributes to building a habit of physical activity for the younger generation, in line with the vision of a "city of healthy citizens".

From a professional and organizational perspective, the race continues to be recognized by AIMS and the Vietnam Athletics Federation as meeting international distance standards, and also launches a national record-breaking event with high prize money, creating further motivation for Vietnamese athletes. The 3rd Public Sports Information Program, bringing together more than 120 global experts and leaders, along with the application of HeriStepAI commentary technology along the race route, demonstrates Ho Chi Minh City's efforts to connect sports with culture and tourism and expand international connections.