Runner Kenya - Vietnam hold hands to the finish line
Victor Chepkwony first attended the MetaSports Marathon in Nha Trang on the morning of August 13. Before race day, he was predicted to be the number one contender for the championship. However, things did not go as planned. The appearance of Hiroki Nakajima ruins Victor's championship plans. The Japanese runner is the best name when he reaches the finish line after 2 hours and 33 minutes, far behind Victor.
Although he couldn't win the championship, Victor still left an interesting moment. When not far from the finish line, he saw runner Phan Anh Son (running 21km) in front of him holding out his hand. Victor comfortably walked over and held Anh Son's hand. The two raised their hands and laughed together and then headed to the finish line in the cheers of a large audience. Crossing the finish line, while Anh Son happily raised his hand to celebrate, Victor knelt down again, looking tired after a long race and lost his strength. His face was also disappointed because he was not as champion as the original goal.
The Kenyan runner said he did not expect a strong opponent at the tournament. Moreover, in the past two months, Victor has participated in races throughout Southeast Asia with a dense frequency. Fitness has declined. The hot weather and steep slopes on Luong Son pass quickly eroded Victor's fighting strength. The results were not satisfactory, but Victor said he was happy when he received everyone's support and encouragement. He will take time to rest and confirm that he will return to Vietnam to play next year.
Victor Chepkwony is a member of the professional running team Dever. The best result is 2 hours 19 minutes. In the recent MetaSports Marathon, Dever always sends athletes to participate. In particular, two other Victor's compatriots, Ezikiel Kemboi and Shelmith Muriuki, both won the MetaSports Marathon. Ezikiel won 42km at the Ho Chi Minh City night run, and Shelmith won the first place twice in a row at VM Quy Nhon and Nha Trang. The success of his compatriots gives Victor the motivation back in the next tournaments.
Runner and Victor ran to the finish line - Phan Anh Son said he did not think there was a chance to hold the hand of the high-achieving athlete to the finish line. Runner from Dak Nong thinks this is a rare experience, leaving one of the most beautiful moments in life. He finished 21km after 1 hour 41 minutes.
MetaSports Marathon Marvelous Nha Trang season two closes with a bang. 11,000 athletes have an emotional race. The tournament features 300 foreign runners competing in all distances. Since the beginning of this year, this is the tournament with the most high-achieving international athletes and standing on the podium. This is also the first time that both men's and women's championships belong to foreign runners. This contributes to promoting professional quality, which is a motivation for domestic runners to make efforts and improve achievements.
