Mother of four Van Trang wins Y Ty Golden Season 2026 women's 42km: “I run with my legs, not with other people's mouths”

On September 6, 2026, Van Trang crossed the finish line of the 42km trail race at Y Ty Golden Season with a time of 4 hours 26 minutes. She won the women's category and finished second overall, ahead of almost every male runner. The course had more than 1,300 meters of elevation gain and reached the high mountain terrain around Lao Than peak. Van Trang, born in 2026 and nicknamed Jang Doll, is a mother of four from Hanoi. After her image was posted online, some social media users made crude comments about her body instead of celebrating her performance. She responded firmly: “I dare anyone to carry two grapefruits while running 42km or 55km on mountain trails. I run with my legs, not with my appearance.” She also said female athletes should be judged by effort and results, not physical appearance. She refused to change her running clothes just to avoid judgment, saying sports clothes must first be comfortable and safe. Van Trang described the negative comments as “vitamin C for her spirit” and said she would keep running without living according to other people's eyes. The victory at Y Ty was no accident. Van Trang trained consistently with running, gym work, swimming and supplementary exercises. She said the race had very steep sections that drained her energy, but she focused on breathing, pacing and fueling at the right moments. Her next goals are the VMM 70km ultra trail race and a 100km event by the end of the year. She believes the best answer to criticism is performance.