Trio Tran Quoc Cuong, Hoang Xuan Vinh and youngster Ha Minh Thanh will be competing in their favourite pistol event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Changwon, the Repiublic of Korea this week.

Cuong, 31, who finished fourth at the Beijing World Cup last year, will be competing in the men's 50m pistol on April 9, where he hopes to accumulate enough points for the 2012 London Olympics qualifiers.

The Vietnam squad will send six members to compete in the men's and women's pistol and rifle, of which five are pistol shooters.

Team coach Nguyen Thi Nhung said that Vietnam has high hopes in the pistol event, and that the National Sports Administration has decided to send their strongest pistol shooters to the international event.

"We hope that the best shooters will accumulate enough points from their shots to achieve the Quota Places and Minimum Qualification Scores in all Olympic rifle and pistol events in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympic Games," Nhung said.

"Cuong and Vinh are experienced big game players, but Thanh is a newcomer in international competition. Despite taking a silver medal in the rapid fire pistol in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China last year, he needs time to perfect his skills," Nhung said before leaving for the RoK.

The 27-year-old grabbed an individual silver medal with a result of 779,7 points from 60 shots at the Guangzhou Games before taking a bronze in the team event.

Thanh will contest the 25m rapid-fire pistol on April 10.

In terms of the women, skilful Pham Thi Ha and Le Hoang Ngoc will take part in the 25m pistol event on April 9, while Tham Thuy Hong try her arm in the 10m air rifle on April 10.

Ha, 32, said she will try to improve on her result in this year's World Cup after a ninth place finish in Beijing last April.

The ISSF World Cup (pistol/rifle) will take place at the Changwon Shooting Range, from April 9 through to April 15./.