
The Vietnamese team has seven competitors, including the 31st SEA Gameschampions. They will begin the competition on October 8 in the BahrainConference Centre at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Nguyen Huy Hung, head of the Weightlifting Department of the Vietnam SportsAdministration, said the team includes both veterans and newcomers but are thebest lifters in their weight classes.
He said all athletes are set to grab their best results in Bahrain because itis an important warm-up event for Vietnamese athletes ahead of the worldchampionships in two months.
The world championship will count towards qualification for the 2024 ParisOlympics.
Two athletes with high medal hopes are Hoang Thi Duyen in the women's 59kgcategory and Lai Gia Thanh in the men's 61kg class.
Duyen, taking part in the Asian tournament for the sixth time, was the onlyathlete to win medals, two bronzes, for Vietnam in last year's tournament inUzbekistan.
The Tokyo Olympian successfully defended her title at the 31st Games in May in Hanoi.
Thanh was one of the most successful Vietnamese lifters at the Game, winninggold and setting two new records.
Other athletes include Pham Thi Hong Thanh, SEA Games champion in women's 64kgclass, Khong My Phuong, SEA Games silver holder in the women's 45kg; and threeyoung athletes Nguyen Tran Anh Tuan (men's 55kg), Quang Thi Tam (women's 59kg)and Tran Thi My Dung (women's 49kg).
Also, in this competition, national champion Trinh Van Vinh will participate inthe men's 61kg category. Vinh is still under a four-year world ban because ofdoping violations.
As he will be free to compete from next March, the coaching board wanted theathlete to join in competitions and improve his ability gradually./.