Culture - Sports

Vietnamese swimmers eye Paralympic entry

The four-member Vietnamese swimming team with disabilities is ready for the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 13-19.

The four-member Vietnamese swimming team with disabilities is ready forthe 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, fromJuly 13-19.

"They aim to earn 11 ‘A' standards to qualify forthe 2016 Paralympic Games in Brazil. If the team is lucky enough, it canearn one medal in Glasgow," said coach Dong Quoc Cuong.

Cuongsaid this was the second time Vietnam had taken part in the world event.The last event was in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, in 2011.

Vietnam'smedal winning hopes are being pinned on Asian gold medallists Vo ThanhTung, who competed at the London Paralympic Games in 2012.

Thesouthern province of Can Tho-born Tung will compete in five differentcategories of men's 50m freestyle-S5, 100m freestyle-S5, 200mfreestyle-S5, 50m butterfly-S5 and 50m backstroke-S5.

"I feelvery comfortable playing at the world event. I will try my best to gain amedal and at least three A standards to secure tickets to compete inBrazil," Tung told Vietnam News.

"The event will give us a chance to test ourselves against the best athletes all over the world," Tung added.

Inthe above categories, the 50m freestyle and 100m freestyle are Tung'sstrongest points with times of 34.6sec and 1:19.6. He is the Asianrecord holder in these disciplines.

According to Cuong, Tung willhave to beat strong rivals from Brazil, the US and Spain to reach histarget. One tough rival will be Daniel Dias of Brazil who won golds in50m, 100m and 200m freestyle in the IPC world event two years ago.

Atthe 2014 Asian Para Games held in October last year in Incheon, theRepublic of Korea, Tung bagged five gold medals in the same categorieshe will compete in Glasgow.

Tung, who contracted polio when hewas four, topped the list of the five Best Athletes with Disabilities in2014. His coach, Cuong, is in first position on the list of Vietnam'stop outstanding paralympic coaches.

Nguyen Thanh Trung, Do ThanhHai and Trinh Thi Bich Nhu will also take part in the seventh edition ofthis world event. Trung will compete in the men's 50m backstroke and100m breast stroke-SB4. Hai will play in the men's 100m backstroke and100m breast stroke-SP4. Nhu will partake in the women's 100m butterflyand 50m freestyle-SP5.

The athletes have been training in HCMCity since early this year to prepare for the championship, whichattracts aboout 580 athletes from nearly 70 countries.

The Vietnamese team will leave for Glasgow on July 10.-VNA

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