HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Trung Cường and Bùi Thị Thu Hà won the top places at the 49th Run for Peace on September 29 in the capital city.
Cường, the SEA Games’ 3,000m steeplechase champion, had no challenge leaving all runners behind to win the men’s elite race of 8,750m, or five laps around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, for the first time.
He was followed by Dương Minh Hùng and Lê Văn Thao.
Meanwhile, Hà triumphed in the women’s class of 5,250m, or three laps around the lake, some minutes later.
Hoàng Thị Ngọc Anh and Ly Ngọc Hà finished second and third, respectively.
More than a thousand athletes participated in the race, along with 2,500 other runners who took part to support the event.
In addition to the elite categories, awards were also presented to winners of the amateur classes including students, workers, soldiers and foreigners, with prizes totaling VNĐ70 million (US$2,900).
Speaking at the opening of the race, the Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee said that, after 48 years, the run has become a long-running tradition, attracting larger numbers of participants and improving in quality every year.
Many talented runners have emerged from this grassroots-level event and gone on to become national names.
The tournament has become a favorite event not only for runners in the capital but also for participants from other cities and provinces every year.
Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Hoàn Kiếm Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword) is a freshwater lake and a cultural landmark in the heart of Hanoi, Vietnam. Its history is tied to the legend of the 15th-century emperor Lê Lợi, who was said to have received a magical sword from a golden turtle god in the lake to fight invaders, later returning it to the turtle upon victory. Today, the lake is a peaceful public space, famed for its Turtle Tower and the nearby Ngọc Sơn Temple.
SEA Games
The SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving athletes from the 11 countries of Southeast Asia. It was first held in 1959 as the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, created to promote cooperation and solidarity within the region. The event has since grown into the region’s largest sporting competition, showcasing a wide variety of Olympic and traditional local sports.
People’s Committee
The People’s Committee is a common term for the local administrative government bodies in Vietnam, with the most famous building being the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee headquarters. Completed in 1908 during the French colonial era, it was originally named Hôtel de Ville and served as the city hall. Today, it remains a prominent historical landmark and the seat of the city’s municipal government.
Run for Peace
“Run for Peace” is not a specific place or cultural site, but rather a recurring international sports event and peace movement. It was founded to promote global harmony and understanding through the universal language of running, often organized in various cities around the world. The event brings together participants from diverse backgrounds to symbolically run in solidarity for a more peaceful future.
Hà Nội
Hà Nội is the capital of Vietnam and one of the most ancient capitals in the world, with a history dating back over a thousand years to 1010 AD when it was established as the capital of the imperial Vietnamese nation. The city is renowned for its rich culture, well-preserved colonial architecture, and vibrant Old Quarter, serving as a significant political and cultural hub throughout its long history.
