Vietnam’s fencing team swept away with first-place overall at the 28thSEA Games in Singapore, bringing home a stunning collection of eightgold, two silver and one bronze medals.
Phung Le Quang,manager for the sport of fencing under the General Department of Sportsand Physical Training, spoke about the team’s SEA Games performances aswell as directions for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. Nhan Dan(People) online newspaper reports.
* What do you think about Vietnamese fencers’ achievements at the 28th SEA Games?
TheVietnam fencing team had an extremely successful run at the SEA Gamesin Singapore, affirming Vietnam’s firm domination in Southeast Asia inthe sport. These well-deserved achievements came as a result of thestrategic plans set by leaders of the General Department of Sports andPhysical Training for the fencing faculty and the great efforts made byVietnamese fencers.
Fencing is known as a rather young sport inVietnam, only beginning its development in the country since the 22ndSEA Games in 2003. However, right after its integration, Vietnamesefencing made a name for itself in the sabre event with Nguyen Thi LeDung winning eight gold medals at five Games editions (2003, 2005, 2007,2011 and 2015), and in the men’s epee discipline with the brilliance ofNguyen Kiem Nhat, the first Vietnamese Olympian in 2010 and the holderof two bronze medals from the 2014 Asian Games.
At this year’sSEA Games in Singapore, veteran fencers – Nguyen Tien Nhat, Vu Thanh An,Nguyen Thi Le Dung and Tran Thi Len – performed outstandingly to bringhome individual gold medals for Vietnam before joining others to win themen’s and women’s team crowns. We also have to mention the significantachievements of the younger athletes, notably the men’s individual foilsilver medal from the 1997-born Nguyen Minh Quang. They are among thekey fencers under Vietnam’s long-term investment for training, openingup a successive generation of promising competitors for Vietnamesefencing.
* Several gold medals won by the fencing team inSingapore were in the events in which no target had been set. Was this asurprise for the team’s coaching staff?
I can affirm that alleight gold medals were in line with the calculations of the fencingfaculty as well as the coaching staff and not simply due to randomness.
Wedidn’t set gold medal targets in some events at the 28th SEA Games inorder to keep pressure off the athletes, inspiring them to playcomfortably and confidently for top results.
The women’sindividual and team epee events were examples of this, with Tran Thi Lenslamming the individual gold medal before joining her teammates to pickup the team title.
* The 28th SEA Games saw impressiveperformances delivered by young fencers. What do the faculty andcoaching staff plan to do to promote youth training?
The fencingfaculty will continue athlete selection in localities nationwide, aimingto find new, promising talent for the national teams.
We willalso offer consultations to the sports sector’s leaders to continueassistance for young athletes, especially those who recorded outstandingresults at this year’s SEA Games in Singapore.
* Following anexcellent finish at the 28th SEA Games, how will Vietnamese fencing movetowards new goals, including the 2016 Olympics?
In my opinion,the SEA Games success will be a launch pad for Vietnamese fencingtowards further goals, including the 2016 Olympic Games. As part ofpreparations for the 2016 Olympics, we have already worked out specificdirections and plans for key athletes. After the 28th SEA Games,Vietnamese fencers will go on to compete in the Asian Championship laterthis month, the World Championship in late July and tournaments underthe International Fencing Federation’s point accumulation system. Thefencing faculty will make appropriate calculations and send key athletes- those who run the high possibility of winning Olympic tickets - tothe 2016 Olympic qualifiers, scheduled for next April, aiming to secureat least one official berth at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics inBrazil.-VNA
Phung Le Quang,manager for the sport of fencing under the General Department of Sportsand Physical Training, spoke about the team’s SEA Games performances aswell as directions for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. Nhan Dan(People) online newspaper reports.
* What do you think about Vietnamese fencers’ achievements at the 28th SEA Games?
TheVietnam fencing team had an extremely successful run at the SEA Gamesin Singapore, affirming Vietnam’s firm domination in Southeast Asia inthe sport. These well-deserved achievements came as a result of thestrategic plans set by leaders of the General Department of Sports andPhysical Training for the fencing faculty and the great efforts made byVietnamese fencers.
Fencing is known as a rather young sport inVietnam, only beginning its development in the country since the 22ndSEA Games in 2003. However, right after its integration, Vietnamesefencing made a name for itself in the sabre event with Nguyen Thi LeDung winning eight gold medals at five Games editions (2003, 2005, 2007,2011 and 2015), and in the men’s epee discipline with the brilliance ofNguyen Kiem Nhat, the first Vietnamese Olympian in 2010 and the holderof two bronze medals from the 2014 Asian Games.
At this year’sSEA Games in Singapore, veteran fencers – Nguyen Tien Nhat, Vu Thanh An,Nguyen Thi Le Dung and Tran Thi Len – performed outstandingly to bringhome individual gold medals for Vietnam before joining others to win themen’s and women’s team crowns. We also have to mention the significantachievements of the younger athletes, notably the men’s individual foilsilver medal from the 1997-born Nguyen Minh Quang. They are among thekey fencers under Vietnam’s long-term investment for training, openingup a successive generation of promising competitors for Vietnamesefencing.
* Several gold medals won by the fencing team inSingapore were in the events in which no target had been set. Was this asurprise for the team’s coaching staff?
I can affirm that alleight gold medals were in line with the calculations of the fencingfaculty as well as the coaching staff and not simply due to randomness.
Wedidn’t set gold medal targets in some events at the 28th SEA Games inorder to keep pressure off the athletes, inspiring them to playcomfortably and confidently for top results.
The women’sindividual and team epee events were examples of this, with Tran Thi Lenslamming the individual gold medal before joining her teammates to pickup the team title.
* The 28th SEA Games saw impressiveperformances delivered by young fencers. What do the faculty andcoaching staff plan to do to promote youth training?
The fencingfaculty will continue athlete selection in localities nationwide, aimingto find new, promising talent for the national teams.
We willalso offer consultations to the sports sector’s leaders to continueassistance for young athletes, especially those who recorded outstandingresults at this year’s SEA Games in Singapore.
* Following anexcellent finish at the 28th SEA Games, how will Vietnamese fencing movetowards new goals, including the 2016 Olympics?
In my opinion,the SEA Games success will be a launch pad for Vietnamese fencingtowards further goals, including the 2016 Olympic Games. As part ofpreparations for the 2016 Olympics, we have already worked out specificdirections and plans for key athletes. After the 28th SEA Games,Vietnamese fencers will go on to compete in the Asian Championship laterthis month, the World Championship in late July and tournaments underthe International Fencing Federation’s point accumulation system. Thefencing faculty will make appropriate calculations and send key athletes- those who run the high possibility of winning Olympic tickets - tothe 2016 Olympic qualifiers, scheduled for next April, aiming to secureat least one official berth at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics inBrazil.-VNA
