The iconic Standard Chartered Marathon set foot in Vietnam on October 16 as Standard Chartered announced its title sponsorship of the Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race, starting from 2024.

The first Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race is scheduled to take place on the first weekend of November, running through the vibrant streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Ms. Michele Wee, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam, said the bank is proud to be the title sponsor, bringing the first edition of the Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race to Vietnam’s capital, an event that celebrates the richness of culture and heritage, which resonates with Standard Chartered as one of the oldest international banks in the country.

“Leveraging expertise from our Standard Chartered Marathon franchise, we aim to bring the best of traditions and modern race technology to elevate the experience for all,” Ms. Wee said. “The Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race will be a race for everyone - bringing people from all walks of life together to stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle, while binding our community through the shared values of resilience and determination.”

She also noted that Vietnam is a key market in Standard Chartered’s global footprint and the bank will continue to invest in the country to better serve its clients, colleagues, and the community. “Being a title sponsor of a prestigious marque event here reinforces our commitment to Vietnam,” she added. “We are here for the long run. We are here for good.”

This is the first mass participation event sponsored by Standard Chartered in Vietnam, a market with deep roots and a long heritage since 1904. The inaugural race will be a key milestone as the bank commemorates its 120th anniversary in Vietnam in 2024.

The Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race will be the tenth race in the Standard Chartered Marathon franchise, which is renowned worldwide for its celebration of endurance, unity, and the pursuit of excellence, upholding high international race standards.

Standard Chartered has had a rich history of hosting prestigious marathons worldwide since 1997. The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon was its first marathon and remains the biggest, with the participation of over 70,000 runners pre-Covid. This race, along with the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, which will attract 50,000 runners this year, is categorized as World Athletics Gold Label events.