Da Nang (VNA) - More than 1,600 peoplefrom 56 countries and territories will do battle in a bid to become Ironman.

Taking place next week in the central city of DaNang, it’s the largest international multi-sport evening in the country. Morethan 600 of those athletes taking part are from right here in Vietnam – that’s10 times the amount of local athletes compared to 2015.

Sponsored by Techcombank, 50 of the best athletesto compete will qualify for the Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship in thePhilippines in August. Thirty from that event will make it through to the WorldChampionships in South Africa a month later.

This is the fourth time the race has been held. Itstarts with a 1.9km swim along Hyatt Regency beach followed by a gruelling 90kmbike ride along the coastline and if that’s not enough, ends with a 21km run.

This year’s event is themed “Be Greater Together”and its one of the few sports where professionals and amateurs go head to headand race alongside each other. 

So far, the relay category has filled up with 160groups are taking turns to swim, cycle and run.

And if they do find the time to look around,they’ll spot some great views while in the water, as this swim course was voted‘Best Triathlon Swim Short Course 2017’ by multi-sport magazine AsiaTri.

The professional field will be one of the mostexciting ever this year with a strong number of male and female athletes.Headlining the men’s field will be defending champion Tim Van Berkel and 2016Ironman 70.3 World Champion Tim Reed. Joining the race there are prominent maletriathletes such as Sam Betten, Mike Phillips and Brad Williams.

The women’s competition will feature defendingchampion Anna Eberhardt and former two-time Ironman 70.3 Vietnam ChampionCaroline Steffen.

And it’s not just the Ironman event that will getpeople sweating. There’s a number of other events and activities will beorganised leading up to the big race on May 13. They include the 3rd edition ofIronkids and 2nd edition of the Sunrise Sprint to be held on May 12 as well asthe 3rd edition of the Newborns Run Out to be held on May 11.

This year’s Ironkids will feature an ocean swim forthose taking part in the Aquathlon (swim/run) category with a 100m swim and 1kmrun for ages 6-10 and a 300m swim and a 2km run for ages 11-14. There will alsobe a run only category for both age groups.

The Sunrise Sprint provides a great opportunity fornew triathletes to get into the sport and for competitive athletes that havenot had time to train for the longer distance to still engage in healthy andwholesome competition. The shorter format Sunrise Sprint consists of a 750mswim, 20km bike ride and a 5km run that will trace portions of the main Ironmancourse event and will also have a relay category.

The Newborns Vietnam Run Out is a fun way peopleto get involved and for the local community to come together for a short run toraise awareness and funds for Newborns Vietnam, a charity committed to reducinginfant mortality in Vietnam.

Last year, Tim Van Berkel of Australia and AnnaEberhardt of Hungary won the men’s and women’s professional titles.

The Ironman Vietnam race has helped raise more than50,000 USD to support Newborns Vietnam.

The central city of Da Nang also agreed to hostthe event until 2022. Vietnam is the 30th country in the world and theeighth Asia-Pacific country to host an Ironman triathlon.-VNA