More than 8,000 runners will compete in the sixth Ho Chi Minh City Marathon, which is scheduled to kick off on January 12, 2019.

The information was announced at a press conference held in the city on October 3 by the municipal Department of Culture and Sports, the Vietnam Athletics Federation, and main sponsor Taiwan Excellence.

The race is a national event, focusing on the promotion of community values, the spirit of athleticism, and relationships formed through sports. 

The event is open to all, regardless of nationality and age.

There will be five categories for different athletes, namely the 42km marathon, the 21km half marathon, a 10km run, a 5km run, and a 1km Kids Dash.

The three longest races will see professional and amateur participants conquer the Phu My Bridge in District 7. Two Vietnamese, one male and one female, with the best results, will be selected to join a marathon championship in Japan in 2019.

Nguyen Trung Hinh, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Ho Chi Minh City Athletics Federation, expressed his belief that the event, the biggest of its kind in Vietnam, is on par with those of other sporting countries and could arouse a wider interest in running across Southeast Asia.–VNA