Press Release No. 4: Awards Ceremony of the 8th Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon 2025
THE 8TH SEASON OF TECHCOMBANK HO CHI MINH CITY INTERNATIONAL MARATHON: AFFIRMING INTERNATIONAL STATURE, LEADING SCALE IN VIETNAM, AND THE CITY’S ICONIC RUNNING EVENT STATUS
Ho Chi Minh City, December 7, 2025 – The 8th season of the Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon concluded with resounding success, officially becoming the marathon event with the largest number of participants in Vietnam, attracting over 23,000 athletes from 81 countries and territories. This represents an increase of over 30% compared to the previous year – the highest growth rate in its 8-season history, further solidifying the event’s growing appeal and Ho Chi Minh City’s leading position on the community sports and tourism map.
The closing and awards ceremony was honored to welcome leaders of Ho Chi Minh City – the event’s steering agency: Mr. Nguyen Van Dung – City Party Committee Member, Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee; Mr. Pham Huy Binh – Director of the Department of Tourism; Mr. Nguyen Trung Hinh – Vice President of the Vietnam Athletics Federation, Vice President cum General Secretary of the HCMC Athletics Federation, along with the presence of leaders from various Departments, Boards, and Agencies, partners, sponsors, guests, and athletes.
Notably, this year’s season witnessed impressive performances by Vietnamese athletes competing alongside a large number of international athletes. Among them, athlete Pham Thi Hong Le secured first place in the women’s marathon distance. In the men’s half marathon category, the fierce competition at the finish line between champions Duong Minh Hung and Pham Ngoc Phan – with a difference of less than 1 second, finishing neck and neck at 1:09:25 – became a highlight of the 2025 season. At the same time, the race recorded a significant increase in the number of young athletes participating in the 5km and 10km distances, reflecting the strong appeal and increasingly widespread impact of the event within the community.
Representing the steering committee, Mr. Pham Huy Binh, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, stated: “With its growing scale and widespread impact, the Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon has become a distinctive tourism product for the City. The combination of sports, culture, and tourism creates a unique highlight, contributing to attracting tourists, enhancing experiences, and asserting HCMC’s brand on the regional tourism map.”
This year’s season continues to demonstrate the clear maturation of Vietnam’s marathon movement. The professional quality has been elevated as the race brought together many experienced faces alongside rising young athletes, creating a more competitive season than ever before. The fact that many groups and clubs chose this event as their primary competition goal also contributed to improving preparation levels, training discipline, and competition strategies within the community.
In the Men’s Marathon (42.195 km) race, the competition was fierce right up to the final kilometers. Athlete Ayalew Seleshi Simaneh from Ethiopia made a powerful breakaway in the sprint finish to cross the finish line first with a time of 2:23:13, clinching the overall championship. Wondale Melsew Baye finished second, while Kebede Leta Girma crossed the finish line in third place with times of 2:23:25 and 2:23:34 respectively, all three being Ethiopian athletes. The remaining two spots in the Top 5 went to athlete Damte Wendwesen Tilahun from Ethiopia with a time of 2:23:54 and Kenyan athlete Kogei Hosea, who completed the race in 2:24:34, concluding the dramatic marathon distance.
In the Women’s Marathon, athlete Pham Thi Hong Le overcame a series of strong opponents to finish first with a time of 2:48:10. The next three positions went to Ethiopian athletes: Mohamed Yenework Husen, Birehan Marta Tinsae, and Zega Mestu Sirabzu. Fifth place was taken by athlete Doan Oanh. The performance of the two Vietnamese athletes amidst the international field demonstrated the competitive and breakthrough capabilities of the home country’s athletes, creating a moment of pride for the audience.
After hours of intense competition, the season concluded with 108 athletes, community clubs, and businesses achieving excellent results, honored in the overall and age group categories.
The overall first-place winner in the Marathon distance, female athlete Pham Thi Hong Le, shared at the finish line: “Today’s victory is not just for me, but also an affirmation of the resilient spirit of the Vietnamese people. I am very proud to compete in an international-level marathon right in my homeland. I believe that events like this will continue to nurture a generation of young athletes, helping Vietnamese sports become increasingly professional, sustainable, and full of aspiration.”
The 8th Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon continues to demonstrate the profound impact of a national-scale community sports event adhering to international standards. The success of the season stems from the close collaboration between the City government, Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank) – the Strategic Sponsor, event organizer Sunrise Events Vietnam, and accompanying partners. This collective effort creates a solid foundation for the race to continuously improve quality, expand its scale, reach regional heights, and spread positive values to the community.
Mr. Nguyen Nam Nhan, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, stated: “The tournament has become a source of pride for the City’s residents and a clear testament to the vision of community sports development that we pursue. In the future, the Department of Culture & Sports will continue to collaborate with various units to ensure the Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon meets international standards, contributing to enhancing the image of Vietnamese sports.”
Ms. Thai Minh Diem Tu, Head of Marketing, Techcombank, shared: “For nearly a decade, Techcombank has been a partner in building a healthy living foundation through the Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon, spreading the spirit of “Run for a Greater Vietnam,” and joining hands to build a healthy, prosperous, and happy community. These are also positive contributions towards realizing Resolution 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo on enhancing the stature, longevity, and physical activity rate of the people, helping Vietnam develop stronger in the era of national ascension.”
Mr. Rob Zamacona, General Manager of Sunrise Events Vietnam, shared: “We are proud to have accompanied Ho Chi Minh City and Techcombank on this eight-year journey. As the organizing unit, Sunrise Events Vietnam not only aims for a larger scale but also focuses on creating memorable experiences, bearing the cultural imprint and spirit of Vietnam. Our goal is to elevate the tournament to a regional level, contributing to affirming Vietnam’s position on the international marathon map.”
