The Vietnamese athletics team at the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia. (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)Hanoi (VNA) – The 12th ASEAN Para Games that tookplace in Cambodia earlier this month marked a great success of the delegation ofVietnamese athletes with disabilities.
Securing the third position in the medal standings with66 gold medals, 59 silvers, and 78 bronzes, the Vietnamese athletes once againaffirmed their aspirations to win, integrate and devote.
The Vietnamese delegation to the event consisted of164 members, including 122 athletes, who competed in eight out of 14sports at the tournament, namely track-and-field, swimming, weightlifting,badminton, table tennis, chess, judo, and boccia.
Before the start of the games, Vietnam eyed only50-55 gold medals and a place in the top four.
Competing at ASEAN Para Games 12, Vietnamese athletes hadimpressive performances, particularly with 66 gold medals brought home inswimming, athletics, weightlifting, and chess.
Notably, Vietnamese swimmers won 28 gold medals and broke15 records. Meanwhile, the Vietnam athletics team successfully won 20 gold medalsand the weightlifting team won 10 gold medals plus two records at theGames.
Moreover, in six consecutive ASEAN Para Games since 2007,athlete Le Van Cong secured a gold medal. Weightlifter Chau Hoang Tuyet Loanbroke the women's 55kg with a 105-kg barbell when she is now 48 years old.
The other eight gold medals for Vietnam at ASEAN ParaGames 12 were bagged by chess players.
Illustrative photo (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)Besides excellent competition, each member of theVietnamese delegation at the Games also contributed to conveying the message ofa friendly, resilient, and strong-willed person, the image of a country ofpeace that is strongly developing in culture, economy, and sports.
Deputy General Director of the Vietnam SportsAdministration Nguyen Hong Minh, head of the Vietnamese delegation to the 12thASEAN Para Games, said that ASEAN Para Games is asporting event that is rich in humanity, helping promote good relations,solidarity, friendship, and mutual understanding among ASEAN countries andcreating a playground for athletes with disabilities.
The tournament brings together many top athletes in theregion, he said, adding that Vietnamese athletes with disabilities have shownsportsmanship, contributing to spreading the will to overcome all difficultiesand obstacles, affirming their aspirations to win, integrate and devote.
The number of Vietnamese athletes in the Games ranked 6thout of 11 countries but in the medal standings, Vietnam was in third place. Theresult showed the great progress of sports of persons with disabilities, approaching the performanceof athletes at the continental level.
"The Vietnam Sports Administration will continue toinvest in sports that Vietnam has strengths. Swimming, athletics,weightlifting, chess, table tennis, and badminton teams will be supported to havemore training. Although many athletes are old and there is a change ininjury classification, the Vietnamese sports delegation of people withdisabilities still aims to win three gold medals at the 4th Asian Para Gamesthat will take place in October 2023 in China and strive to win a medal at theParis 2024 Paralympic Games," said Minh.
The sports administration is also planning to restore teamsfor several other sports such as wheelchair racing, tennis, wheelchairvolleyball, and football for the blind.
However, there remain problems ininvesting in equipment and training conditions for athletes, he said.
To attract athletes back to practice and compete insports tournaments, joint efforts are needed, especially support fromsponsors, Minh stressed./.
