Vietnam's kickboxers are training to prepare for SEA Games 31. (Photo: VNA)
BacNinh (VNA) – Vietnamese kickboxers are currently in intensive training inorder to show the best performance at the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games(SEA Games 31).
Thecountry will send five female kickboxers (in the categories of 48kg, 52kg,56kg, 60kg, and 65kg) and seven males (51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 63.5kg, 67kg,and 71kg) to the Games.
Amongthem, the team has high hopes for Nguyen Thi Hang Nga (women’s 48kg, gold medallistat SEA Games 30 in 2019), Huynh Van Tuan (men’s 51kg, gold medallist at SEAGames 30), Nguyen Xuan Phuong (men’s 57kg, gold medallist at SEA Games 30), andNguyen Quang Huy (men’s 60kg), head coach Tran Thanh Tuyen said.
LeThi Nhi (women’s 56kg) and Bui Hai Linh (women’s 52kg) are also promisingathletes, he went on.
Theteam aims at four - five gold medals at SEA Games 31 and will strive to defendand outperform the four golds secured at the previous Games in the Philippines.
Formidable opponents of Vietnamese kickboxers are those from Thailand, the Philippines, andIndonesia, according to Tuyen.
Toachieve the target, the team’s members gathered in September 2021 and have beentraining at the multifunctional gymnasium of Bac Ninh province, the venue ofkickboxing events, since April 30.
Asthere are only a few days left before competitions begin, training is beingramped up while focus is also being put on devising strategies and analysing rivalsso as to have the best competition methodology, the head coach added.
AtSEA Games 31, kickboxing events will take place at Bac Ninh province’smultifunctional gymnasium from May 6 to 13, with the participation of Vietnam,Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.
Themed “For a stronger Southeast Asia”, SEAGames 31 is scheduled to take place in Hanoi and 11 nearby localities from May12 to 23. It will feature 40 sports with 526 events and attract 10,000participants./.
