Filipino endurance athlete Edsel Moral captures 2026 Da Nang, Vietnam marathon crown

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino endurance athlete Edsel Moral bested over 1,500 runners to win the Da Nang International Marathon in Vietnam on Sunday, March 22.

Moral, a 29-year-old full-time factory worker, averaged 3:34 per kilometer to finish in 2:30:43.

Moral was previously the champion of the 2025 Trilogy Run Asia National Finals in December.

Fellow Filipino Cronie Melliza, a 25-year-old student athlete from the University of Santo Tomas, also reached the podium in his marathon debut, placing third in 2:38:51. Tomoki Tezuka of Japan finished second in 2:36:19.

“We are incredibly proud of Edsel and Cronie,” said JP Regodon, senior marketing manager for Under Armour Philippines, which sponsored the athletes’ participation in the footrace. “Their success in Da Nang is a testament to the world-class caliber of our homegrown talent.”

Another Filipino, M.A. Alforque, finished 10th with a chip time of 2:57:26.

First staged in 2013, Da Nang International Marathon regularly attracts a mix of local Vietnamese runners and international participants. It’s one of Vietnam’s more established races that is usually held every March. 

State-run news agency reports say this year’s event had a total of nearly 9,000 participants, including in shorter distances. It is expected to generate $5.4 million for the city’s economy. – Rappler.com