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

Van Trang, nicknamed Jang Doll, created a major highlight at the 2026 Y Ty Golden Season race when she finished the 42km distance in 4 hours 26 minutes. The result helped the mother of four, born in 2026, win the women's 42km category and take second place overall, behind only one male runner. Her achievement is even more impressive considering the course. The Y Ty race is known for steep sections, more than 1,300 meters of accumulated elevation gain, and the thin air typical of northern mountainous Vietnam. Lao Than peak, which runners must conquer, stands 2,860 meters above sea level. For trail runners, this is a true test of endurance, energy management, and mental strength during long climbs. After finishing, Van Trang said she did not think about results at the start. Instead, she focused only on the small section of trail ahead. She controlled her breathing, managed her energy, and refueled at the right moments. The Hanoi-based runner kept telling herself: 'Stay calm, as long as you have energy, you still have a chance.' She believes endurance comes from consistent training rather than short-term effort. She combines gym work, swimming, and supplementary exercises to build fitness every day, instead of relying only on long weekend runs. Van Trang's story does not end with a medal. Shortly after she stepped down from the award area, some posts in running groups chose to focus on her appearance. They concentrated on her naturally large chest under tight sportswear and used disrespectful phrases like 'carrying two grapefruits while running.' Instead of discussing technique, pacing, or climbing ability, those comments turned a hard-earned victory into cheap entertainment. Van Trang did not stay silent. She immediately responded in a straightforward tone: 'Honestly, I dare anyone to carry two grapefruits and run 42km or 55km of mountain trails.' She insisted that she runs with her legs, not with her appearance, and there was no reason for her to be dragged into groups for rude gossip. She also used the image of 'supplying vitamin C' to describe the criticism, treating it as mental fuel that made her stronger rather than hurt. Her closing line was widely shared: 'What matters is that I still finished and I am still healthy. Judge as you wish; I run with my legs, not with people's mouths.' Van Trang's reply was not about being harsh. She simply put her achievement on the scale and showed that body-shaming comments cannot erase the value of hard work. That spirit defines an athlete who knows how to defend her worth. Van Trang believes that when people look at a woman playing sports, the first thing worth acknowledging is effort and results. Appearance is a personal matter, while achievement is the outcome of years of serious training. She hopes the community will look at female athletes more civilly, instead of scrutinizing their bodies while they are pushing their own limits. Asked whether she would wear looser or more modest clothes to avoid staring eyes, Van Trang made her position clear. For her, sports clothing must be comfortable and safe first. Changing yourself just to cope with judgment means living under other people's eyes, and that is not a choice she makes. She wants to focus on the trail and her goals. 'Marathon taught me that we do not always run in perfect conditions. Life is the same,' she said. In her view, compliments make her happy, criticism helps her reflect, and malicious comments are something she learns to ignore. Van Trang's journey is not over. After her success in Lao Cai, she targets the 70km distance at the upcoming VMM race and wants to go further by entering a 100km race at the end of the year. She says she does not need to become the version others want to see. The important thing is to become a better version of herself every day, so her results on the trail are the clearest answer to all gossip. The lesson from Van Trang's story is not limited to one person. It reflects how Vietnam's sports community is changing its views on female athletes. A woman can be a mother of four, still train regularly, still run 42km through the mountains, and still beat strong men. If people only look at appearance and ignore the numbers and effort, they miss the most meaningful part of sport.