Nguyen Thi Tam (left) is Vietnam's first Olympic boxer. She targets a second turn at the Games in Paris this summer. (Photo of IBA) Vietnam's two highestpotential boxers will seek their places at a World QualificationTournament held from February 29-March 12 in Busto Arzizio, Italy.
Tam was the first femaleVietnamese boxer to qualify for the Olympics at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Competing in the women's50kg class, Tam has been Vietnam's most experienced international fighter, aremarkable achievement to bring home.
In 2023, Tam made a bigbang when she took a silver at the world championship. Unfortunately, she didnot qualify for the Olympics as the event was not recognised as aqualification.
"Tam is traininghard with highest determination for the Italian event," said head coachNguyen Nhu Cuong.
"She is in her peakcurrently and confident with her preparation. However, we are working with highalert because it is the world qualifier which will gather all the strongestcompetitors. It will not be easy to secure a place."
While Tam is a famousveteran, Quynh is a rising star of the national team after she won bronze atthe 19th Asian Games last October in China.
Quynh did not receive much attention until the Hangzhou Games,where she took the only medal for Vietnam boxing.
Other fighters of Vietnam are 2023 SEA Games champion Ha Thi Linhin the women's 60kg; 2022 Thailand Open winner Vo Thi Kim Anh inthe women's 54kg; and 2023 world championship participant Nguyen ThiThanh Hao in the women's 57kg.
After Italy, athletes will have their last chance at thesecond World Qualification Tournament from May 23-June 3 in Bangkok,Thailand.
Athletes are training in Hanoi under the support of Thaiexpert Tawan Mungphingklang who came back to Vietnam in late 2023.
In his eight years working in Hanoi from 2013, he helpedVietnamese boxing gain 2019 world championship bronze, 2017 Asian championshipgold and a 2020 Olympic spot, along with golds at the 2015 and 2019 SEAGames.
“We have set specific goals for the qualifiers.Athletes are practicing hard under best conditions and theircoaches make daily reports to us. It is all to help them get ready and havegood results at the upcoming competitions," said Dam Cong Dien of theSports Authority of Vietnam's Boxing Department.
As many as 50 athletes will qualify through the Italiantournament, including 22 women and 28 men.
Between 45 and 51 athletes (20-23 women and 25-28 men) willqualify through the Thai event.
At Paris 2024, a total of 248 boxers will compete, including 124women and 124 men. Boxing competition will take between July 27 and August 10 in the Roland-Garros Stadium and the North ParisArena./.
VNA
