Lao Cai (VNA) – Vietnamese runner Nguyen Tien Hung won Vietnam's biggest mountain race - Vietnam Mountain Marathon (VNM)2019 - the seventh of its kind, in Sa Pa town, the northernmountainous province of Lao Cai on September 22.

Hung finished the men's 100km ultra marathon in a time of 14:33.45. He broke his own record from the previous year (14:45.44) and became the first runner to win two consecutive VMM races.

The second and third places went to Nguyen Si Hieu and Nguyen Duc Quang, respectively.

Meanwhile, Chaimaime Thompson of Australia won the women's 100km in a time of 19:18.23, followed by Coline Drain-Martin of France and Tian Qi Ong of Malaysia.

In the men's 70km, Mads Louring from Denmark too the first place, while Do Nhon Trong and Tran The Anh from Vietnam came in second and third.

In the women's 70km, Joy Ho from China's Hong Kong came first in a total time of 10:37.48. Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Duong was in second place.

The annual event was co-hosted bythe provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Topas TravelCompany under the auspices of the Danish Embassy in Vietnam.

It attracted over 4,000 athletes from 46 countries andterritories who competed in 10km, 15km, 21km, 42km, 70km and 100km races alongHoang Lien Son mountain, which is considered to have the most challengingcourse in Vietnam.

Prominent amongthe participating athletes is Italian marathoner Francesca Canepa, champion of theUltra Trail du Mont Blanc Europe in 2018 and defending champion of the VMM 2018.

At the closingceremony, the organising board presented proceeds to Operation Smile, New BornsVietnam charity organisations and poverty reduction programmes in Lao Cai.

Held for thefirst time in 2013, the VMM has become one of the biggest terrain marathonevents in Asia, contributing to charity activities and attracting foreignvisitors to Lao Cai./.