Won 3rd place in Ho Chi Minh City night race after one year of training

Huynh Anh Khoi (21 years old) finished with a time of 2 hours 42 minutes 42 seconds, behind two seniors Dan Quyet and Truong Van Tam at the Ho Chi Minh City night race.

Huynh Anh Khoi (HCMC) revealed that he has only been practicing marathon for exactly one year, since February 2023. The 3rd place VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight is his first big mark in his journey of pursuing mass sports. Moved after receiving the award, Anh Khoi said that he almost cried when he saw the finish line. Khoi's gesture of raising both hands to the sky, then clenching them together is to affirm that the path he is on is the right one.

Mr. Khoi celebrates when he crosses the finish line. VM — Mr. Khoi celebrates after reaching the finish line. Photo: VM

Being a junior, standing with the big names in the running world for the first time at VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight, Huynh Anh Khoi stood in the back row. He just tried to keep himself in a favorable starting position, a few seconds behind the front row. Waiting for the countdown to end, he rushed forward instinctively, with the thought of "running as best as possible".

Leaving the starting line about 1 km, former national champion Truong Van Tam took the lead. Immediately after, Khoi also separated from the crowd, running in the next group with some familiar names such as Dan Quyet, Huynh Thanh, Manh Quan...

Watching the race on livestream, viewers could see that Huynh Khoi ran with a "hard" candidate for the championship, Dan Quyet, in the first half of the race. At about the 22nd kilometer, Quyet separated from the top, leaving the chasing group behind. Khoi recounted that when he saw his senior leaving him far behind, with a bit of youthful "fighting spirit", Khoi also accelerated. "At about the last 12 kilometers, I couldn't continue at that speed, so I accepted to slow down," Khoi recounted.

Runner born in 2003 said that the first third of the race went according to plan, but because his body had not accumulated enough and he did not have much competition experience, he had to accept defeat from his seniors. "Mr. Quyet and Mr. Tam have been competing for many years, so they have accumulated more volume and more experience. As for me, I have only been practicing marathon for a year, so I could not do well," Huynh Anh Khoi shared.

Finishing 3rd at VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City, the runner born in 2003 was surprised by the result. "This is a big tournament, gathering many famous names. Being in the top 3 is also full of surprise and luck," Khoi said. This is only the 21-year-old's second title this year. Previously, in January, Khoi also entered the top 3 in the marathon distance in a tournament held in Ho Chi Minh City.

The male runner also said that these results are motivation for him to practice, improve his performance and ranking, and gain a foothold in the running world. On the other hand, it is also pressure when athletes' performance is getting better and better and many new factors appear. However, Khoi said he still believes in his youth and passion.

"I'm still young and have a lot of time to try. I found my passion in marathons after struggling with short distances and injuries," said Anh Khoi.

Mr. Khoi ran in the same group with Manh Quan (blue and yellow shirt) and Dan Quyet (white shirt). Photo: VM

In 2018, at the age of 15, Khoi was selected to join the Ho Chi Minh City athletics team, training and competing in the 400m event. It was thought that his passion for sports would lead the young man to a wide open path, but injuries and his body did not allow him to continue on this path.

"My body could not adapt to the speed and technique of short distances. Every time I finished running, my legs were numb and I could not lift them. After that, injury after injury. I decided to stop training," Khoi said. After leaving the team, this young man did many jobs to earn money.

More than a year ago, the turning point came when Khoi was also recruited by runner Thai Quyen - coach of Phu Tho Runner Club (a club operating at Phu Tho Stadium, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City).

Thai Quyen was the one who brought Khoi to marathons. In February 2023, he started practicing the first exercises in Quyen's training plan. "When practicing marathons, I feel my body adapts well. When competing, even though I feel tired, the feeling of fatigue in marathons is very 'relaxing'. I can still leisurely continue running until the finish line, so since running and competing in long distances, I have never given up," Khoi shared. After more than a year, he is now able to create his own training plan that suits him and helps teach running classes to earn money.

The 2003-born man said that marathons are a "healing" medicine for his physical and mental health after failing to pursue short distances. "I am lucky to be guided by dedicated and determined seniors. At PTR, there are shining examples for me to follow, such as Mr. Hua Thuan Long. I hope that one day I will achieve success and travel abroad like Mr. Long," Khoi said with a smile.

VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight 2023 ended with Dang Anh Quyet winning the men's championship, and Truong Van Tam taking the runner-up spot. Huynh Khoi took third place. In the women's event, Hong Le still dominated every time she appeared at the tournament. The reigning national duathlon champion Nguyen Thi Thuy Van finished second. Meanwhile, pharmacist Nguyen Thi Tra Giang finished third.

Thanh Lan

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