Hanoi's historic charm to take centre stage at Standard Chartered Marathon

The event welcomed the presence of Dr. José Vinals, Chairman of Standard Chartered Group, on his first visit to Vietnam, who was in Hanoi on June 27.

The visit of Standard Chartered's top executive is a testament to the brand's long-term commitment to Vietnam, as well as underlining the desire to make the Hanoi Heritage Marathon into an international running event, introducing the hidden beauty and unique culture of Vietnam to the world.

This year's race, which will be held on November 3, is the tenth marathon in the world-famous Standard Chartered Marathon system. The event was chosen as one of the main events celebrating the bank's 120th year in Vietnam. This is not only a source of pride for the event's organisers, but also an opportunity to affirm Vietnam's position on the international marathon map.

"We are pleased to be the main sponsor of the Hanoi Heritage Race this year, a prestigious sporting event celebrating the cultural diversity and heritage of Hanoi. This activity aligns with the values of Standard Chartered, one of the oldest international banks in Vietnam and demonstrates our strong and long-term commitment to Vietnam. Our goal is to turn this marathon event into a community-based sporting event, uniting all walks of life to build and maintain a healthy lifestyle," Vinals said.

Vinals also emphasised that the upcoming heritage race will be an intersection of culture, tradition and sports, values which the marathon is keen to share with the running community.

General Director of Standard Chartered Vietnam, Michele Wee noted, "Vietnam is the 10th country where we're launching this marathon. And therefore, we want to show our continued commitment to supporting the community in the right way in terms of wellness, unity, resilience and therefore, I think it's very meaningful that we strategically chose Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular, to actually get this race together. I'm very excited to see everybody here."

During the meeting, a memorandum of understanding on the cooperation and participation of Bach Mai Hospital as the medical sponsor of the tournament was signed. Bach Mai Hospital will officially undertake medical services for the race, supporting the organisation of running route safety and health safety for participating athletes.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Tri, General Director of DHA Vietnam, the event organiser, said that with the commitment and high efforts of DHA Vietnam and Standard Chartered Bank, ensures that the heritage race will be raised to a new elevated level on the global marathon map.

"We strive through this tournament to contribute to making Hanoi an international cultural and sports destination. We are preparing the best for this tournament," Tri shared.

The event has a new start and finish location - Tran Nhan Tong walking street - next to Thong Nhat Park and Thien Quang Lake. The space will best meet the needs of tens of thousands of runners who are expected to take part in this historic and challenging event.

To date the organising board has already completed the formal distance measurements and test running stages. The race's running routes are creatively designed, connecting the most unique landmarks of Hanoi, so that runners, especially international athletes, have the opportunity to experience the cultural heritage of the capital city at what will be the most beautiful time of the year.