Da Nang City, 19th April 2022 – With the theme “Embracing Challenges”, VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Viet Nam returns for its 6th edition after a three-year absence due to COVID-19 pandemic related disruptions. The triathlon festival will be held in Da Nang City from 5th to 8th May 2022 and is expected to welcome over 2,500 athletes who will participate in events throughout the weekend.
Being inspired by the resilience of the country during the pandemic, and the spirit, passion and determination of the athletes who take on the race, VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Viet Nam decides to choose “Embracing Challenges” as the key theme for the 1.9km swim, 90km bike, and 21.1km run triathlon. Following the remarkable success of the 2019 edition, VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam 2022 will continue its position as one of the largest triathlon events in the region and marks the return of competitions and sports tournaments when Vietnam re-emerges after the pandemic.
Among 2,500 athletes participating in the two-day event, over 1,800 athletes are expected to join the 70.3 distance race on Sunday, 8th May, including a record of nearly 1,100 Vietnamese athletes., This record-high number reaffirms the popularity of the race and the continued growth of the triathlon community in Vietnam.
Vice director of Đà Nẵng Department of Culture and Sports, Nguyễn Trọng Thao, commented, "COVID-19 disruptions have unfortunately prevented the organization of the VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam the past three years, but we always hoped the race would return to Da Nang City. This year’s event is not only the race that attracts triathlon athletes but also the first international event with the participation of global sports enthusiasts post pandemic. As Vietnam’s tourism industry is reopening, we look forward to welcoming local and foreign athletes to compete and enjoy what the city has to offer."
The event also marks the return of VNG, who played an imminent role in bringing IRONMAN 70.3 to Vietnam. Since the inaugural event in 2015, VNG has continuously contributed to the triathlon community development in Vietnam by creating virtual platforms and physical spaces for employees, partners, and non-professional teams to practice. The success of this year's event will lay the foundation for VNG and Sunrise Events Vietnam (SEV) to debut the IRONMAN triathlon (140.6) in the future.
“At VNG, we embrace a culture that fosters balanced lifestyle and healthy environment that supports our employees to develop in the long run. Triathlon represents resilience, going the distance and perseverance and these are the traits we value at VNG. Therefore, we encourage our employees to participate in endurance sports to keep themselves fit while uphold to our value of embracing challenges.”, said Abhishek Mathur, Vice President of Human Resources of VNG.
Onslo Carrington, General Manager and Race Director from Sunrise Events Vietnam shared, "We are grateful for the support and partnership of the Da Nang Government, our title sponsor VNG, and importantly the athlete and volunteer community as we prepare for the 6th edition of VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Viet Nam to Da Nang City next month. Many of our participants have suffered hardships and setbacks due to COVID-19, but this has not dampened their enthusiasm in pursuing active lifestyles and their belief in the IRONMAN mantra of “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE”. After a three-year delay, we are excited and committed to delivering a safe and memorable event to mark Vietnam’s return to the global IRONMAN 70.3 calendar while supporting the ongoing growth of endurance sports in Vietnam."
In addition to the IRONMAN 70.3 distance race, the event will extend the Newborns Vietnam Runout on Friday morning, the Sunrise SPRINT triathlon and IRONKIDS on Saturday morning.
The 2022 VNG IRONMAN 70.3 Viet Nam will offer 70 qualifying slots for the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship held in St George, Utah, 28-29 October 2022, including 25 qualifying slots of Women for Tri.