Van Trang – mother of four wins women's 42km at Y Ty: 'I run with my legs, not with gossips

HOOK On September 6, 2026, amid dense fog on the 2,860m Lo Thoan peak, a small female runner crossed the finish line of Y Ty Golden Season trail race in 4 hours 26 minutes. Van Trang — nicknamed Jang Doll — did not only finish first among women in the 42km category; she also placed second overall, leaving nearly all male runners behind. But the race's most memorable moment was not her medal. It was her bold reply to social media critics who mocked her figure: "I dare anyone to carry two grapefruits for 42 or 55km of mountain trails!" That statement did more than defend her honor — it exposed a dark corner in Vietnamese sports culture: we still prefer staring at a female athlete's bust rather than admiring the legs that carried her to the summit. CONTEXT The 2026 Y Ty Golden Season race is among the harshest trail courses in Northwest Vietnam. The 42km route features more than 1,300m of elevation gain, steep climbs, dry creek beds and slippery slopes. Thin air above 2,000m forces lungs to work twice as hard. In such conditions, Van Trang displayed meticulous physical and mental preparation. Speaking to reporters, she said: "The 42km has slopes that nearly drain your energy. At those times, I focused only on the next section, kept my breathing steady, managed my pace and fueled at the right moments. I kept telling myself: stay calm; as long as you have strength, there is still a chance." The remarkable thing is that this achievement belongs to a woman who has given birth four times. Instead of using motherhood as an excuse to slow down, Van Trang chose discipline: running combined with gym, swimming and supplementary exercises every day. She does not view motherhood as a barrier but as a source of strength. The endurance built through years of pregnancy and child-rearing, combined with consistent training, has created an astonishingly durable machine. CORE A 4h26 finish for a 42km trail with over 1,300m elevation gain is a number that speaks volumes. It reflects nearly perfect energy management. Trail running differs from road running because you cannot maintain a steady pace. Athletes must know when to climb, when to descend fast, when to power-hike to save energy. Van Trang's pacing was evident in her ability to accelerate in the final kilometers and finish second overall. Notably, she beat almost every male runner in the entire race. This is not just a personal victory. It raises a question: how long has it been since a Vietnamese woman finished second overall in a 42km trail race? Van Trang did not merely win the women's category; she competed on equal footing in the overall standings. Her story matters even more because many still view ultratrail as a "men's playground." They forget that the female body is well-equipped to endure pain and burn fat as energy. Evidence from major ultratrail races worldwide shows that women can beat men at distances far longer than the marathon. Van Trang's victory proves that physical limits are not defined by gender. Yet, right after her podium image was posted online, internet users did not discuss her climbing technique or pacing strategy. Instead, many focused on her naturally large chest under a tight sports outfit. Some used the phrase "carrying two grapefruits" as a mockery. This language is a blatant disrespect toward a woman who just achieved an elite sporting result. Van Trang chose to respond directly. "I dare anyone to carry two grapefruits for 42 or 55km of mountain trails!" She stressed: "I run with my legs, not with my looks, so why put me in groups to gossip? Some people see pressure; I see it as vitamin C fueling my spirit. What matters is that I still finished, still happy and healthy." Her words sound like a declaration of war against gender prejudice. She refuses to play the victim, refuses to change her clothes to please others. When asked whether she would wear looser outfits to avoid unwanted stares, she said firmly: "Sports clothing must first be comfortable and safe. If I changed myself because I fear others' judgments, I would spend my life living under other people's eyes. I choose to focus on the course and my goals." This is the message women's sports need today: instead of silently enduring, athletes are using their performances to assert themselves. Van Trang does not ask for pity. She demands respect. CONTRARIAN Looking from another angle, Van Trang being body-shamed while running a marathon reveals a paradox in Vietnamese society. The community is willing to celebrate professional records but still uses fashion-industry beauty standards to judge female athletes. A female trail runner who sweats, gets sunburned, and has toned muscles is not "feminine" by some outdated norms. So critics try to pull her down with comments about her body. Van Trang does not apologize for her body. Nor does she apologize for wearing comfortable clothes to compete. This toughness creates a necessary cultural shock. Because too many women have quit sports due to unbearable gossip. If we really want Vietnamese sports to grow sustainably, we must create an environment where women can run, jump, sweat and win without worrying about whether their bust is socially acceptable. The irony is that the very keyboard warriors mocking Van Trang cannot even run 5km. So who deserves to be laughed at? She said it perfectly: "Judge all you want; I run with my legs, not with gossip!". This statement transforms a victim of body shaming into a symbol of strength. TAKEAWAY Van Trang's 4h26 finish at Y Ty will be recorded as a milestone for Vietnamese trail running. But what makes her a phenomenon is the spirit to live authentically under public pressure. She does not need to become the version others expect. The road ahead is even longer: Van Trang aims to conquer VMM 70km later this year and 100km at the end of the year. Ultramarathon courses will not forgive weakness. But online gossip is easier to handle than a 30% gradient climb. For Van Trang, her legs have said everything. And those legs are not stopping. On her legs, we see not just a record, but a message every Vietnamese girl needs to hear: run your own way, do not run according to the crowd's eyes. An athlete's glory does not come from body measurements, but from the kilometers covered, the sweat shed, and the times she rose again from failure. The battle against prejudice is not over, but every time a woman dares to stand up and say "I run with my legs," an entire generation sees a new path. The mountain course still echoes Van Trang's footsteps — an echo that cannot be silenced by whispers.