Hanoi (VNA) – The 8th National Sports Games opened at the My Dinh NationalStadium in Hanoi on November 25.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Deputy PM Vu DucDam, Secretary of Hanoi Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai, representatives fromministries and sectors, and thousands of athletes, coaches, and sport officialsnationwide.
On behalf of the Party and Government, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam hailed efforts madeby Hanoi city, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, relevant sectorsand localities in preparing for the sports games.
He said that the Games contribute to developing sports while encouraging thehabit of physical exercises among local people.
More than 7,000 athletes are competing in the games, taking place in Hanoi, thenorthern province of Hoa Binh and the central province of Khanh Hoa fromNovember 15 to December 10.
The athletes, who came from all the 63 provinces and centrally-run cities andthe military and police, are vying for medals in 743 events of 36 sports,including golf, karate-do, wushu, pencak silat, athletics, swimming, boxing andfencing.
Several events have already begun like body building, springboard, rowing andtennis.
Host Hanoi is leading the medal tally with 30 gold, 23 silver and 19 bronzemedals, followed by Ho Chi Minh City with 19 gold, 23 silver and 14 bronzemedals.-VNA