Tien San was Vietnam’s sole representative at last year’s prestigious event, finishing with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 46 seconds. To prepare for this year’s marathon, he trained intensively for nearly two months in his hometown of Bac Ninh, aiming to surpass his personal best at the Berlin Marathon 2024.

The Berlin Marathon is one of the world’s major marathons, alongside the Tokyo Marathon in Japan, London Marathon in the UK, Sydney Marathon in Australia, Chicago Marathon, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon in the US.

Specializing in long-distance running, Tien San also competes in duathlon events, which combine running and cycling, at both domestic and international competitions.

He previously won gold medals at the 31st and 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and is set to defend his championship at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand later this year.

Nearly 19,000 in national flag shirts set Vietnam marathon record

Nearly 19,000 runners, both professional and amateur from Vietnam and abroad, had registered for the “My Vietnam 2025” marathon as of early August 17, with the number expected to surpass 20,000 by August 22.