Vietnam's U23 team celebrate the goal by Nguyen Quang Hai at the final match of the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship (Photo: AFC)Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s sport sectorhas had an outstanding 2018 and the country is starting to pay more attentionto developing talented athletes.
The fairytale second-place finish of Vietnam’sfootball team in January at the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship enrapturedmany people, not just football fans. After the poor performance of thecountry’s football teams in recent years, some fans had lost faith in the team,but the success of the youngsters has greatly increased public attention on thetraining of athletes.
In August, the Vietnamese sport sector recordedvarious achievements at the 18th Asian Games (ASIAD) in Indonesia. With fourgold medals, two in Olympics sports (athletics and rowing), 2018 was Vietnam’smost successful year at the continental event.
Gold medallist Bui Thi Thu Thao (centre) at the 2018 ASIAD (Photo: VNA)Increasing attention for development of young athletes
In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency,Vice head of the Vietnam Sports Administration (VSA) Tran Duc Phan said inOctober, 13 Vietnamese athletes competed in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG)in Argentina.
As athletes rarely compete in this event twice,it is their dream to enter the international multi-sport event for youths whilethey are eligible, the VSA official said.
More importantly, when a Vietnamese athlete qualifiesfor a major event, such as the YOG, it will motivate other athletes to succeed,he noted.
Weightlifter Ngo Son Dinh and swimmer NguyenHuy Hoang brought home a gold medal each at this year’s event.
Vice head of the Vietnam Sports Administration (VSA) Tran Duc Phan hugs young weightlifter Ngo Son Dinh following Dinh's gold medal at men’s 56kg event on the first day of competition of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (Photo: VNA)
Dinh lifted114kg in snatch and 148kg in clean and jerk to triumph with a total lift of262kg at the men’s 56kg event on the first day of competition at the Games.
The Tien Giang-born lifter won one gold and two bronze medals in themen’s 56kg at the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championship in 2017. He also wonthree gold medals at this year’s tournament and two bronzes at the World YouthWeightlifting Championship.
Ngo Son Dinh (centre) at the podium (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Meanwhile, the 18-year-old swimmer triumphed inthe men’s 800m freestyle in 7:50:20 and broke the national record of 7:54:32which earned him a bronze medal at the 2018 ASIAD in Indonesia. Hoang’s medal wasthe first gold medal in swimming for Vietnam at the event.
18-year-old swimmer Nguyen Huy Hoang (centre) triumphs in the men’s 800m freestyle at the 2018 YOG (Photo: VNA)According to Phan, Prime Minister Nguyen XuanPhuc recently approved a decision to raise the food stipend for each youngathlete to 290,000 VND (about 12.5 USD) per day, equivalent to that of aprofessional athlete.
In addition, he stressed salary and incentivesfor athletes and coaches will be improved. The moves reflect the Government’sefforts to create optimal conditions for aspiring talents.
With the VSA’s motto “All the best for athletesand coaches”, Phan said training, competition performance and medical treatmentfor young athletes have improved over the years.
An official health committee was established in2014, which proved to be effective aid for athletes in regional andinternational competitions.
In addition to medical treatment from expertsin various sports, the health committee also serves as mental support forathletes, so they can focus on improving their performance, Phan said.
Vice head of the VSA Tran Duc Phan (Photo: VNA)
During the 2018 ASIAD in Indonesia, sportdoctors for the first time accompanied Vietnamese athletes to the event andjoined their training sessions.
For upcoming major sporting events, namely theSoutheast Asian (SEA) Games in 2019 and 2021, Olympics in 2020 and ASIAD in2022, the VSA is working to choose key sports for development, and events ofthat each sport which will be feasible for Vietnamese athletes to earn highachievements.
Prospects for Vietnam’s athletics
Track and field is one of the oldest athleticevents. In ancient times, the events were held in conjunction with festivals.In Vietnam, it is referred to as the queen sport, thus athletics is an areawhere the country wants to improve.
Duong Duc Thuy, head of the athletics section ofthe VSA said Vietnam’s athletics witnessed rapid changes in 2007-2008, duringwhich the sector worked to apply international standards in evaluation, pavingthe way for the country’s athletes to qualify for global competition and notfall behind compared to their rivals across the world.
Now, with recent outstanding achievements,especially Bui Thi Thu Thao’s gold medal in long jump in 2018 ASIAD, the changehas proved effective, he affirmed.
Long jumper Bui Thi Thu Thao with her gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia (Photo: VNA)Vietnam’s track and field sector is striving tobecome a force that changes the face of athletics in Southeast Asia, in thecontext that athletics comprises a fixed number of events, and the rivalrybetween participating nations has grown fiercer. Entering the region’s top twois one of the most important tasks for the country’s young athletes in the next10 years.
Vietnam’s athletes are preparing for the 30thSEA Games in the Philippines next year. They are also striving to qualify forthe 2020 Olympics in Japan.
Hope in rising track-and-field talents
At the 2017 Asian Youth AthleticsChampionships in Thailand, Vietnampocketed one gold and five silver medals. Gold medallist Cao Vo Ngoc Long brokethe national record in high jump with a jump of 2m10.
Cao Vo Ngoc Long poses with the national flag after winning the men’s high jump event at the second Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Thailand in 2017 (Photo: nld.com.vn)In the women’s 400m hurdles, 17 year-old girl LeThi Hong Han broke the Asian youth record of 61:27 with a result of 60:66,taking a silver medal.
Recently, two Vietnamese athletes Le Tien Longand Doan Thu Hang qualified for the 2018 YOG in Buenos Aires. Their success lithope in the future of Vietnam’s athletics, following outstanding athletes inthe past like Truong Thanh Hang, Vu Thi Huong and high jumpers Bui Thi Nhungand Nguyen Duy Bang, among others.
“Those excellent results show that the youngathletes are coming close to their predecessors’ achievements and possibly ableto go beyond. The country can think of having more Vietnamese runners inOlympics events in the coming time,” Thuy said.
Training of young athletes and their responsibilities
The training of athletes is the most importanttask for them to improve their personal results and seize spots atinternational events. Previously, Vietnamese athletes were mainly sent to trainin Poland and Hungary, and then following the country’s Doi Moi (reform)process, they have trained in China, Western European countries and the UnitedStates.
Head of the athletics section of the VSA Duong Duc Thuy in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (Photo: VNA)
Vietnam has given priority for its athletes tojoin training courses in countries with suitable facilities, equipment,favourable weather and cuisine. Therefore, neighbouring countries, particularlyChina, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, are the best choices for Vietnam’sathletes, the official said.
Additionally, Japan has provided financial aidand equipment for sport officials and experts in developing countries. As along-time partner of Vietnam, experts from Japan have provided professionaltraining and helped Vietnamese athletes attend competitions in Japan.
The athletics section hasworked to seek funding and sponsorship for the development of young athletesand enhanced cooperation with the International Olympic Committee, internationalfinancial establishments and overseas Vietnamese.
Thuy added that it is also important forVietnamese athletes and the sport sector to be aware of their responsibilitiesin return for the support.
Once they are determined to become professionals,young athletes should get accustomed to the procedures of respective events andliving conditions in different countries as they need to participate in varioustraining courses and competitions abroad.
They are also encouraged to compete in otherdomestic and international athletics events, which attract many foreignathletes. The athletics section is keen on boosting a system of competitions in the country,with existing events like marathons in Ha Giang, Binh Duong, Binh Phuocprovinces and Da Nang city, and more, he said, stressing the significance ofpublic sport campaign in raising budding talents.
Participants of the 21km and 42km distances in the 2018 Da Nang International Marathon (Photo: VNA)During international events, in addition topolishing their skills, Vietnamese athletes can learn from their foreigncounterparts in various aspects, from their etiquette to thorough preparationsahead of important events, particularly weather factors which may affect their performance,nutrition and equipment.
To become full-fledged professional athletes,young talents have to practice regularly to maintain stamina, set propertargets to improve and work to stay on top form and deliver the best results.
They are also asked to support the growth ofthe country’s future athletes once they become more mature and successful, Thuynoted. -VNA
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