Culture - Sports

SEA Games 31: Vietnamese athletics ready to defend reign at regional event

Vietnamese athletes have set a goal of winning 16-18 gold medals to defend the country's first place in the track and field events at the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
SEA Games 31: Vietnamese athletics ready to defend reign at regional event ảnh 1Nguyen Thi Oanh (centre), who won triple gold at the 30th SEA Games, is expected to bring the first gold medal home for the national track and field team at the women's 1,500m final, which will take place on May 14. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese athletes have set a goal of winning 16-18gold medals to defend the country's first place in the track and field events at the upcoming31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Vietnam will send a powerful team of 25 experts,coaches and 80 athletes to compete in the tournament's event.

The Vietnam Athletics Federation predicts the topgold medal chances are in the women’s 400m (Quach Thi Lan and Nguyen ThiHuyen); the women's 800m (Khuat Phuong Anh); and the men’s 3,000m steeplechase(Do Quoc Luat and Nguyen Trung Cuong).

If these athletes stay fit and healthy, they willwin gold medals, it said.

Among those registered for the national track andfield team at the tournament, there are outstanding athletes, including Nguyen ThiOanh, who won triple gold at the 30th SEA Games in the women’s 1,500m, 5,000mand 3,000m steeplechase.

Oanh is expected to bring the first gold medalhome for the national track and field team at the women's 1,500m final, whichwill take place on May 14.

Athletes who have the potential to make abreakthrough include Nguyen Thanh Ngung and Vo Xuan Vinh in the men's 20km walkand men's 4x400m relay; Nguyen Van Lai in the men’s 5,000m, Hoang Nguyen Thanhin the men's marathon.

However, the professional level of athletes fromThailand and the Philippines is on the rise, making it harder for Vietnameseathletes to compete with them. 400m champion Tran Nhat Hoang will face fiercecompetition from Phitchaya Sunthonthuam of Thailand, and Trenten Anthony Beramof the Philippines. The most recent record of Beram is 46.01 sec and Phitchaya Sunthonthuam's 46.46, while Hoang’s personal best is 46.96.

Vietnam dominated the athletics competition in thePhilippines two years ago with a collection of 16 gold medals, which was four ahead of powerhouse Thailand and surpassed their SEA Games target by five golds.

The SEA Games 31 will take place in Hanoi and 11adjacent provinces from May 12 to 23, 2022, offering 526 sets of medals across40 sports. The track and field competition is set to take place at theHanoi-based My Dinh National Stadium between May 14 and 19 with 47 sets ofmedals up for grabs./.

VNA
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