Ready for the biggest professional marathon held in Nghe An

According to Ms. Tran Thi My Hanh - Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, the marathon movement has spread strongly in the locality in recent years, many professional athletes, officials, employees of agencies, organizations and people participate in races in the province and nationwide. However,Marathon "With Faith to the land of Vi and Giam"is the largest professional tournament ever held in the province, with more than 4,000 domestic and international athletes participating.

To prepare for the event, the Provincial People's Committee previously issued a plan to coordinate the organization of the tournament and coordinate the coverage of the tournament on mass media.

At this point, all preparations for the tournament are ready. At the meeting to review the organization of the tournament held on the afternoon of August 18, the Department of Culture and Sports said that it had worked with the organizing unit to survey and agree on the running route for 4 distances of 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km, with the starting and ending points on Ho Tung Mau Street, the main running route through Phan Dang Luu Street, Nguyen Viet Xuan Street, the road along Lam River (through Vinh City, Nghi Loc District and Cua Lo Town). In addition, the Department also directed the Provincial Traditional Arts Center to develop a performance program of Vi and Giam folk songs at the opening ceremony of the tournament.

The provincial police representative said that they have completed the plan to arrange vehicles, traffic police, and public order police to coordinate traffic at the starting point, finish line, and along the race route, opening and closing locations, ensuring security and safety for athletes and organizers, and arranging escort vehicles on the race routes. The Department of Health has sent medical staff to ensure the health of athletes during the competition.

In addition, by the afternoon of August 18, the Provincial Youth Union had mobilized more than 200 volunteers who were students from universities and colleges in the province to serve and guide delegates and delegations participating in the tournament. The Department of Education and Training mobilized 50 students from Nguyen Truong To High School to participate in the closing ceremony.

Previously, Nghe An Department of Tourism had requested accommodation establishments to have preferential policies on service prices for athletes and their accompanying people attending the tournament. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Industry and Trade also coordinated to build a booth displaying OCOP products and typical products of Nghe An at Ho Chi Minh Square...

Regarding the issue of the 42km distance starting at 3:30 a.m. on August 20, but a nearly 10km stretch of road along the Lam River has no street lights, a representative of Nghe An Electricity said that there is a plan to supplement it with battery-powered lights and on August 19, electricity staff will coordinate with volunteers to install these lights to ensure the safety of athletes on the running track.

Regarding the road closure for the tournament, a representative of the Department of Transport said that the Department has advised the Provincial People's Committee to send a document to the Vietnam Road Administration to authorize Road Management Area II to approve the plan to ensure traffic for the tournament and Road Management Area II will have a written response to the approval on the morning of August 19.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Quoc Huong - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nong Thon Viet Magazine said: "We have organized races in several provinces and cities, but this is the first time we have received active support from sectors, units, and localities of Nghe An province... Nong Thon Viet Magazine will try our best to make the "With Faith to the Vi and Giam region" Marathon take place in a disciplined and magnificent manner, no less than any professional marathon ever organized."

As planned, the opening ceremony of the “With Faith to the Vi and Giam region” marathon will begin at 7:30 p.m. on August 19 at Ho Chi Minh Square. Before that, from 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. on August 19, athletes will check-in and receive racekits at Ho Chi Minh Square.

From 3:30 a.m. on August 20, athletes will start competing in 4 distances: 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km. The closing ceremony and award ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. at Ho Chi Minh Square.