2000 Athletes Expected to Participate in the Inaugural Ironman 70.3 Phu Quoc, Vietnam

• Phu Quoc becomes the next exciting Asian racing destination in Vietnam after Da Nang for triathletes.
• The event will welcome over 2,000 athletes and promote sports and overall tourism to the island with the Phu Quoc Marina Resort and Entertainment complex serving as race and host venue from November 17th-19th, 2023.
• The race will also welcome 6x IRONMAN World Champion and Hall of Fame athlete Mark Allen as a special guest and speaker as part of his first visit to Vietnam.

Following the success of the 5150 Phu Quoc in November 2022, IRONMAN and Sunrise Events Vietnam with the support of the title sponsor BIM Group agreed on the selection of Phu Quoc as an attractive destination for the second IRONMAN 70.3 race – a multi-sport festival in Vietnam. Given the world-class facilities and idyllic tropical setting, the Pearl Island of Phu Quoc is expected to become a popular new Asian racing destination among the global IRONMAN community.

More than 2.000 participants, including a large Vietnamese contingent as well as a diverse array of international athletes, are expected to compete in the inaugural event. Around 1200 triathletes will start in the 70.3 event, with nearly 300 international athletes representing 46 countries joining in.

The race at IRONMAN 70.3 Phu Quoc includes a 1.9-kilometer (1.2-mile) swim course with the starting and finishing ends at the Phu Quoc Marina Coconut Tree Beach, a beach nestled along the Gulf of Thailand. The 90-kilometer (56-mile) 2 loop cycling route traverses the southern part of the island, followed by a flat 21.1-kilometer (13.1-mile) 2 loop running course culminating at the beach.

The event embodies the vision of BIM Group, the title sponsor, to elevate Phu Quoc as a key tourism destination in Southeast Asia. The 2023 BIM Group IRONMAN 70.3 Phu Quoc will boost Phu Quoc’s prestige and increase the competitiveness of ‘the Pearl Island’ with other island destinations in the region.

Check out the best images from 2023 Ironman 70.3 Vietnam

The attendance of living legend Mark Allen at the event reflects the rising profile and significance of Vietnam in the triathlon world. Since hosting its inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 race in 2015, Vietnam has garnered many noteworthy achievements including hosting the 2019 Asia Pacific Championship–which featured the largest group of top professional athletes ever assembled for a championship race in Asia–and becoming the largest IRONMAN 70.3 event in Southeast Asia in 2023.

Mr. Nguyen Van Sau, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Kien Giang Province and Head of the Organizing Committee, shared, “We are delighted to host the IRONMAN 70.3 event for the first time in Phu Quoc. This is a testament to our commitment to promoting sports and tourism in the province. The event is promised to allow Phu Quoc to showcase its natural beauty and cultural richness. It also shows that Phu Quoc is an ideal place for athletes from around the world to compete, challenge themselves and have their goals achieved. We look forward to welcoming athletes and spectators to this exciting event and believe that this event will elevate Phu Quoc’s image as a world-class tourist and sports destination.”

See the race-cation guide to Ironman 70.3 Vietnam

Mr. Bang Trinh, Co-Founder of Sunrise Events Vietnam, added: “We are thrilled to be adding a second IRONMAN 70.3 race in Vietnam in the beautiful tropical setting of Phu Quoc Island. Similar to the success we have achieved in Danang, I fully expect our Phu Quoc event to become one of the most popular events on the IRONMAN 70.3 calendar in Asia. Having participated in many IRONMAN events around the world, I’ve always believed that Phu Quoc, with its beautiful beaches and luxurious world-class resorts, has the potential to become a top global destination for athletes and their families.”