Early bird registration for the sixth Manulife Da Nang International Marathon on August 12 opens today.

Vietnamese and Japanese runners celebrate after finishing the half marathon category at the Da Nang marathon in 2017. 

Race organiser, the World Marathon Company and Pulse Active, said yesterday the number of runners would be limited at 5,000.

This year, the marathon will offer four distances – a full marathon (42km), half marathon (21km), a 10km run and a 5km fun run for local and donors.

Runners can fill in a form at: https://goo.gl/YfzsUg to be eligible to become one of the first runners, while super early bird registration will open at www.rundanang.com.

Last year, nearly 5,000 runners from 44 countries and territories raced in the event. More than US$21,000 was raised for handicapped people and orphans, Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, disabled people, the Village of Hope and 15 low-income families in the city.

The oldest runner, Noriko Sakota, 72, from Japan completed the 42km race in three hours and 35.39 minutes.

Japan’s Izawa Satoshi and Lany Cardona from the Philippines won the men’s and women’s 42km.

The race is the first Vietnamese marathon certified by the International Amateur Athletics Association (IAAF) and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. — VNS