VNG Ironman 70.3 Da Nang 2016 – Saving Newborn Lives

Another amazing VNG Ironman 70.3 Viet Nam 2016 for Newborns Vietnam the weekend started with the RUN OUT from the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa to the Da Nang Hospital for Women & Children to raise awareness and funds for our work.  The RUN OUT was led by Geoff Meyer, Chief Executive Officer, IRONMAN Asia-Pacific, Fred Uytengsu, President of Sunrise Events Inc. & Caroline Steffen, the VNG Ironman 70.3 Viet Nam the2015 Female Pro champion. She was joined by fellow Pro Athletes, Liz Blatchford, Dimity Lee Duke, Belinda Grainger, other athletes and staff from the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa, Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort EMM Hotel Hoi An.  Huge thanks to Waterfront Da Nang for providing great coffee and pastries to keep the energy going for the run back to the Hyatt. Many of the athletes visited and otherrunners visited the neonatal unit and could see for themselves the new equipment and progress that we continue to make in improving the care of newborn infants.

A great day on Sunday, 1,100 athletes from sixty countries competed in the VNG Ironman 70.3 Vietnam.  Team Britain for Newborns, Frederik, David and Graham were determined to retain the male relay race title.  A great start with a 30 minute swim by Frederik and handover to David for a fantastic ride and over to Graham for the run, the last 10 km along the beach with no shade was brutal but a great time and another win, Team Britain retained their 2015 Title.

Team Vietnam for Newborns, Trung, Son and Yen had a great race they spent Saturday afternoon in the neonatal unit and were fired with a passion to make a difference for the babies and to make their sponsors proud of them. Trung had a great swim and shaved some time off hisestimated time to give Son a good start on the bike and who gave the ride his all. Yen ran her heart out and finished with a great time of 1 hour and 41 minutes.  What a team, their first Ironman and they convincingly won the mixed relay.

A very special lady who has done so much to support our work retained her Title, Female Pro Athlete Champion, VNG Ironman 70.3 Viet Nam. Caroline’s time was amazing 4 hours and 12 minutes.

Our Newborns Teams were cheered all the way by nurses and doctors from the neonatal unit, and they gave Caroline an enormous welcome as she came down the home straight.

We were very touched by the warmth and generosity of so many athletes, Sunrise Events and the Ironman team.  Big thanks to the Hyatt for once again supporting Newborns Vietnam and to all the staff who worked so hard to lookafter us and joined the RUN OUT.