Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Vietnam’s shooting team will be the first national squad to take part in an international competition after the Lunar New Year holiday.
The tournament, with the participation of 280 shooters from 22 countries and regions, will be held from February 9-22 at the SAT Shooting Ranges.
Paris Olympians Trinh Thu Vinh and Le Thi Mong Tuyen will compete at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Cup 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, targeting top places on the podiums.
In addition, the Vietnamese squad will include other notable faces such as Asian Games champion Pham Quang Huy along with SEA Games winners Phi Thanh Thao, Nguyen Thuy Trang and Ha Minh Thanh.
Marksmen will be back to their normal training sessions on February 2 at the National Sport Training Centre in Hanoi.
“This is our first tournament of the year. My shooters began preparing for their competitions prior to the Tet rest. When they are back in action they will have to quickly keep in tune with the intensive practice, said Vu Thi Anh Dao, an official of the shooting department of the Sports Authority of Vietnam.
The Cup will feature the continents' strongest shooters and my athletes will not only vie hard to complete their goals, but also look for other competitors' weaknesses, so they can adjust their proficiency for even better outcomes.”
Vinh, who earned Vietnam’s best results in the women's categories at the Olympics, said she really enjoyed Tet time with her family, but she still spent time practising, both in terms of physicality and technique.
“In 2025, I want to prove my ability. I will strictly follow the plans of the coaches to ensure my best performance across all tournaments. I want to be a better version of myself in the New Year, said Vinh.
Meanwhile, Tuyen believed that only when shooters maintain their top form both physically and mentally, can they achieve success.
Tuyen said the Asian Cup would be a very competitive tournament, so Vietnamese marksmen would also have to be very determined in order to get medals.
“I have set myself high targets in several important tournaments this year, so I have worked hard to make sure I achieve them. I will also try my best to meet expectation of coaches and my supporters, said Huy, who paired with Vinh and won a gold in the 2024 Asian championships' 10m air pistol.
The SAT Shooting Ranges is also a venue which will be used during the 33rd SEA Games. So Vietnamese coaches and athletes will also take this opportunity to get familiar with the facility in readiness for competitions later in the year./.
