Mai Trung and Dan Quyet battle for lead in 42km at VM Nghe An 2026

The VnExpress Marathon Grand Tour Nghe An 2026 officially kicked off at dawn today at Ho Chi Minh Square, Vinh City. This is the first time the tournament has been held in the hometown of President Ho Chi Minh, attracting thousands of runners across four distances: 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km. In particular, the 42km distance witnessed an exciting head-to-head race between two veteran runners, Nguyen Mai Trung and Dan Quyet. From 1:50 AM, the bib collection area at Nghe An Labor Cultural House became bustling. Athletes and clubs gathered to prepare for the region's biggest sporting event. Familiar names such as Dan Quyet, Dao Ba Thanh, and Le Van Huong were all present, along with host clubs Nghe An Runner and Ha Tinh Runner in their prominent pink jerseys. According to our reporter, before the start, Thanh Meo, a veteran runner from Vinh Runner, commented: "This race has the fewest 42km runners, making it favorable for competing and breaking personal records. The course in Nghe An is quite favorable, with beautiful roads and few slopes." This further raised expectations for a high-speed race. At exactly 3:00 AM, the 42km distance started. From the first strides, the leading group quickly took shape with Dan Quyet, Dao Ba Thanh, and Mai Trung. Contrary to many predictions, the two heaviest contenders, Mai Trung and Dan Quyet, did not break away immediately but chose to run side by side for most of the time. They took turns leading, creating a tense tactical battle. By around 3:10 AM, more than 10 minutes after the start, Mai Trung began to create a fragile gap of about 10 meters over Dan Quyet. Footage showed Mai Trung highly focused, while Dan Quyet remained relaxed, occasionally waving to the camera. This difference in racing mindset could be decisive in the final kilometers. Nguyen Mai Trung, 35, from Hanoi, works in e-commerce and is a member of Thanh Cong Runners Club. He made a strong impression when completing the full marathon at VnExpress Marathon Hai Phong 2026 with a time of 2 hours 41 minutes 55 seconds, ranking 69th in the list of fastest full marathoners in Vietnamese history. With this form, Mai Trung has every reason to aim for the top spot in Nghe An. Meanwhile, in the women's race, a surprise occurred when local runner My Hien took the lead. My Hien, a member of Nghe An Runners Club, holds a personal record of 3 hours 7 minutes 39 seconds in the 42km distance. Competing on home turf, amid cheering from the crowd, is proving to be a great motivation for her to maintain an impressive pace. The 42km course is considered quite favorable. After starting from Ho Chi Minh Square, runners pass through Ho Tung Mau, Truong Thi, Le Nin Avenue, then connect to Vinh - Cua Lo Avenue. At around km 16, the route takes runners to Binh Minh Road, passing through the coastal area of Cua Lo, and turning around at Cua Xa. This section offers beautiful scenery but also poses challenges with wind and temperature as dawn breaks. The organizing committee deployed hundreds of volunteers working with the operations team at various points along the course. Local police, traffic police, and medical staff were also mobilized to ensure security, traffic control, and medical support. Water stations and cheer zones were fully set up since the evening of September 26. The 42km race is still ongoing with many unpredictable developments. Mai Trung is leading with a 10-meter advantage, but the experienced Dan Quyet can certainly turn the tables in the sprint phase. In the women's race, My Hien needs to maintain consistency to protect her position against chasing rivals. The race promises thrilling battles until the final kilometers.