Van Trang wins women's 42km at Y Ty Mua Vang 2026 and replies: 'Run with my legs, not with gossips'

When Van Trang crossed the finish line at Y Ty Mua Vang 2026, her achievement was more than personal. With a time of 4 hours 26 minutes, she finished first in the women's 42km category and second overall, only behind one male runner. On the mountain route around Lao Than peak, 2,860 meters above sea level, a mother of four proved her rare endurance. However, her proud title had not yet settled when some online users turned their attention to her chest under the tight running outfit. Instead of talking about effort, difficult slopes, or pacing strategy, they made rude comments, even saying she was 'carrying two grapefruits' while running. Van Trang, nicknamed Jang Doll, did not choose silence. Shortly after leaving the podium, she hit back: 'I dare anyone to carry two grapefruits for 42km or 55km on mountain trails! I run with my legs, not with my looks, so why bring me to those gossip groups? People see pressure, but I see motivation as vitamin C for my spirit. What matters is that I still finished and I am healthy and happy. Judge if you want, but I run with my legs, not with the mouths of others.' Born in 2026 and now based in Hanoi, Van Trang is a familiar face in Vietnam's amateur trail running scene. But her victory in Y Ty was not an overnight success. The 42km course had more than 1,300 meters of elevation gain, steep climbs, thin mountain air, and unpredictable weather. It was a severe test for any runner. Speaking to reporters right after the race, Van Trang recalled the moment she almost ran out of energy: 'The 42km distance has slopes that nearly drain your body. At that time, I focused only on the road ahead, kept my breathing steady, conserved energy, and fueled at the right moments. I kept telling myself: Stay calm; as long as you still have strength, you still have a chance.' She stressed that endurance is not luck but the result of consistent and disciplined training over years. Besides running, she does gym, swimming, and supplementary exercises to build fitness day by day. That foundation helped her refuse to give up when facing seemingly endless climbs. What deserves attention is that challenging prejudice was harder than the race itself. When she was posted in running groups for mockery, Van Trang did not delete her posts or stay silent. She urged the community to look at women in sports more civilly: 'The first thing to be seen in women playing sports must be effort and achievement. Appearance is a personal matter, while achievement is the result of years of training. When you see a girl on the racecourse, I hope you see someone trying to conquer her own limits.' Asked whether she would choose baggy or more conservative clothes to avoid judging eyes, the Y Ty champion firmly refused. For her, sportswear must first be comfortable and safe for performance, not designed to please the audience. If she changed herself out of fear of gossip, she would always live under other people's eyes. 'Running clothes must first of all be comfortable and safe. If I change myself just because I am afraid of judgment, I will always have to live according to other people's eyes. I choose to focus on the route and my goals. Marathon has taught me that you do not always run in perfect conditions. Life is the same. Compliments make me happy, criticism helps me reflect, and ill-intentioned words I learn to ignore.' Victory at Y Ty marked a new milestone, but for Van Trang it was just the beginning. She confirmed her next goal is to conquer the 70km distance at the VMM race, a far tougher challenge than 42km. Further ahead, she plans to take part in a 100km event at the end of the year to test her own limits. For a woman mocked about her body right after finishing a race, her message to the community is simple. There is no need to become the version others want to see; only to become a better version of yourself each day. She wants to say: let achievements speak for you, because some compliments make you happy, some criticism helps you reflect, but ill-intentioned gossip is worth ignoring. The 42km mountain run in 4 hours 26 minutes is over, but Van Trang's fight against stereotypes continues. She does not need everyone to agree with her; she only needs to keep moving forward and prove herself with her legs, sweat, and milestones. When she races on the toughest trails, she understands that the only thing that can bring glory is never appearance, but the will to keep going and a persistent heart. For Van Trang, other people's words may hurt, but they cannot slow down someone who has long faced headwinds on the mountaintop. She has shown that a mother of four can stand beside the strongest male runners and, more importantly, know how to defend her value in the middle of unkind glances. The phrase she repeats before every race, 'stay calm, as long as there is strength there is still a chance', now applies not only to the racecourse but also to her journey as a mother, an athlete, and a free woman in modern society. Every step on Lao Than mountain was not just a physical challenge but also a declaration that no one has the right to define a person by appearance. Van Trang's achievement of 4 hours 26 minutes at Y Ty Mua Vang 2026 does not need words to be defended. She ended the story in the strongest way: let achievements speak. And as she moves toward the 70km VMM race and then the 100km distance, doubts about her – whether about physical ability or appearance – will continue to be answered by a number on the clock, a glorious finish, and a proud smile.