Last week, some of the participants of the inaugural Challenge Vietnam triathlon came to Nha Trang to do some training for the event, and to get a feel for the course. The event is for serious fitness enthusiasts, and includes a 1.9km swim along the main beach, followed by a 90km bike race along the coastline. To finish off, contestants are required to complete a gruelling 21km running track. The Challenge event promises to be a great weekend for the city of Nha Trang, and will help to put us on the map as in international venue for big sporting events and competitions.
Here is a profile of some of the athletes who were training in Nha Trang
Phillip Nguyen – CEO – Pulse Active Vietnam
Forbes Vietnam’s “Man of The Year” – Phillip is not only a businessman but also a dedicated athlete. With many achievements in both domestic and international sporting competitions, Phillip wanted to bring his passion into Vietnam and that’s why he founded Pulse Active – a sports events company which organizes events such as the Color Me Run, HCMC RUN, Danang International Marathon, Prisma Night Run, and this year, for the first time, Challenge Vietnam. As a way to commit to Challenge Family, he raced already Challenge Melbourne half distance and for the first time ever, he will race a full distance triathlon (2.8km swimming, 180 km biking and 42 km running).
Al Gonzales – Head Coach – Streamline Sports Instruction
Al received his teaching certificate in 2003 from Total Immersion New York and has been teaching for 13 years, He has conducted Workshops in the United States, Austria, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines and has been competing in triathlons for over 15 years. He is an IRONMAN Certified Coach, Garmin Connect Coach, Aquasphere Coach, Zoot Brand Ambassador and has completed races in the US, Europe and Asia.
Francis Diano – Doctor in Physical Therapy, Orthopedic Specialist – USAT Coach
A certified America Triathlon Coach, Francis spends his days treating athletes in physical therapy and orthopedics, while also hosting coaching workshops for triathletes. He competes in around 10 international events across the world each year while training and coaching triathletes and marathon runners.
Hue Thi Gia Nguyen – Pro Coach – California Fitness & Yoga
A native of Nha Trang City, Nguyen was the winner in the female category of Vietnam’s IRONMAN competition last year. She competes regularly in marathon and half marathon competitions around Vietnam and is very excited to be part of such a big event in her home city this year.
Stephanie Nguyen President – Cube Construction
With her drive to challenge herself to face her fears and test her limits, Stephanie is living proof that anything is possible if you put your heart and mind in it. Before completing a full marathon, the farthest she ran was 5km. But because of her passion to push her limits, she has done 3 half marathons, 1 full marathon (NEW YORK MARATHON 2014) and several triathlon races with distances ranging from sprints to Olympic to half distance. Challenge VN will be her 3rd half distance race and the last race to cap off her 2016 triathlon season.
David Greenfield – Elite Bicycles
In his mid-twenties, David began competing as a triathlete and rose to the professional ranks in 1997. He traveled around the United States and Europe competing as a professional triathlete in both ITU and WTC sanctioned events. He broke numerous bike course records around the globe – some that still stand today. David attended championships in both ITU and Ironman distances. At the height of his career, David had a competitive world ranking and was crowned the Jamaican National Champion in 1999.
About Challenge Family
The fastest growing endurance sports brand in the world, Challenge Family holds more than 40 races across the globe. Its values are based on physical achievement, an athlete-first focus, and loyalty. It lays claim to hosting the world’s longest endurance triathlon, Challenge Roth, along with provided the highest professional prize money in endurance sports (1 million USD), the Triple Crown.
For Nha Trang, it promises to be an event that will help put the city on the worldwide map as a place to host international sporting events, and one that will put great focus on the city as a travel destination. Discover Nha Trang is delighted to be the official Media Partner of Challenge Family and Pulse Vietnam, and will help to promote the event.
For more information about the event, visit www.challengevietnam.com
Registrations are now open both individual and team relay participation. Let’s see if any Nha Trang citizens have what it takes to compete in the ultimate triathlon!
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