The Vietnam sport delegation took part in a sending off ceremony at the National Sports Training Centre in Hanoi on May 19.
The 28th SEA Games will open on June 5 and close 11 days later on June 16.
Addressingthe ceremony, head of the Vietnam delegation Tran Duc Phan said theGames help test Vietnam for more important competitions like theOlympics and the Asian Games.
He said through the SEA Games,Vietnamese sports officials could review how Vietnam was performingcompared with regional and continental competitors.
"With ourcareful preparation for months, Vietnamese athletes are determined towin from 56 to 65 gold medals and enter the top three in the medaltally," Phan said.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister ofCulture, Sports and Tourism Le Khanh Hai asked all athletes, coaches andofficials to maintain a spirit of fair play while winning medals forthe country.
"Despite many difficulties, the government has paid attention and supported the national sportspersons," Hai said.
"Manyathletes have been sent to train abroad to help them bring homevictory. I hope that in Singapore our athletes will do their best towin. And they will also show off their solidarity, spirit of fair playand act as ambassadors to promote Vietnam's image to our worldwidefriends."
On behalf of the 392 athletes who will participating in28 of 36 sports at the Games, footballer Que Ngoc Hai said sheunderstood that being a national team member is a matter of pride forall Vietnamese. Also, she said she was aware that the opportunity toparticipate carried with it important duties and responsibilities. Inclosing, she promised to compete and return home with SEA Game medals.
ASEA Games gold medal winner will be given 45million VND (2,100 USD). Anathlete who sets a new Games record will also receive cash.
Apartfrom these bonuses, athletes will also receive ‘on-the-spot' awardswhich include TVs, motorbikes, air tickets and others from manybusinesses and sponsors.
Singapore, which are hosting the Gamesafter 22 years, will hold the opening and closing ceremonies at the newNational Stadium. It is the world's largest dome structure, with acapacity of 55,000.
Themed "Celebrate the Extraordinary", theGames aims to look beyond competing and winning, and focus on connectingpeople and communities to their dreams.
At the last SEA Gamesheld in Myanmar two years ago, Vietnam ranked third, winning 74 goldmedals, trailing Thailand with 107 golds and the hosts with 86.-VNA