Vietnam’s Pham Thi Binh impressed spectators at the SEA Games for not only winning gold in the women’s marathon event yesterday, but also for running barefoot.

She crossed the line after running 42km in 2 hours 45 minutes and 34 seconds, and still had energy to cover half the track to celebrate her victory with the Vietnamese national flag wrapped around her body. Myint Myint Aye and Pa Pa of Myanmar followed at second and third place with 2:46:07 and 2:49:01 respectively.

Binh set a national record for Vietnam with her time of 2:47:24.

“I got used to running barefoot when I was young. Sneakers become a burden for me when my sweat runs into them,” Binh said after finishing the run in Myanmar.

Binh’s feet are covered in calluses and her toenails are broken from running barefoot. Her feet have also been pierced with thorns and sharp stones while training on roads.

Binh ran 60km each day barefoot for around a year to prepare for the tournament.

Her first gold medal

It is the first gold medal in her career for international competition, especially after she overcame her congenital heart disease.

In 2009, Binh was diagnosed with a rare heart disease and had to undergo an operation that cost around VND50 million (US$2,400). It was a big sum for her family of seven brothers and sisters.

A philanthropic organization in her home town in central Quang Ngai Province covered the entire cost of her surgery.

“It was like a dream,” Binh said regarding the free surgery that helped her return to the race.

Ms. Phung Thi Dau, Binh's mother, showed her daughter's trophy in Quang Ngai Province (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

Desire to run

Running is not only her ambition but also her income to help her cover school fees for her and her younger brother.

“I am happy with this victory because I will have money to help my parents pay school fees for my siblings. It is also my contribution to the achievements of Vietnam,” Binh said.

Binh is now a senior student at Da Nang Sports University and her brother, Pham Trung, is a second year student at the school.

Her mother, Ms. Phung Thi Dau, told locals in Binh Thuan Commune of Binh Son District who came to celebrate the victory of her daughter, “Today is the happiest day of my life. I didn’t eat anything all afternoon. Binh didn’t call me to tell me she won because she went abroad for several days and wouldn’t buy a phone card to save money.”

“Binh said she would contact her brother via the internet,” her mother said.

Binh’s father, Pham Cong, said, “I am happy for my family first and for the nation. I am excited for her to return to celebrate.”

Surgeon Nguyen Lan Hieu, who operated on Binh, said it is unprecedented for a patient to overcome a congenital heart disease and come first place in a marathon.