Coach Nguyen Huu Thang has been asked to bring Vietnam to the finals of the Southeast Asian Games’ football event (Photo: kenhthethao.vn)Hanoi (VNA) - Followinga successful year in sports in 2016, Vietnam is gearing up for even betterresults next year, according to the National Sports Administration.
The top priority will bethe 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Malaysia where 38 sports will berepresented.
“We target one of topthree positions at the Games. We will focus on the sports listed on the OlympicGames roster and those in the Asian Games schedule,” said Tran Duc Phan, deputyhead of the Administration.
“Athletes will bestrongly supported and they will be in intensive training since the beginningof 2017. The key athletes who have potential to win medals will follow specificprogrammes (to make sure of their chances),” Phan said.
But the number of medalscould fall short because Malaysia is decreasing or not holding at all some of Vietnam’sstrong sports such as wrestling, rowing and weightlifting.
Football is always a keyevent in the Games.
The Vietnam FootballFederation (VFF) is set to send both men’s and women’s teams to the finalmatches at the Malaysian competition. While the women plan to take their topposition back, the men, represented by the U22 squad, will seek theirfirst-ever title in the regional biennial sports festival.
“(Men’s) football shouldbe looking forward to its highest goal. It is really a challenge as Thailandare always the No 1 in the region, but we should keep hoping and do our best,”said Phan.
When signing a contractwith head coach Nguyen Duc Thang in March, the VFF also tasked him with winninga gold medal at the 29th Games. Thang has eight months to prepare for thistask.-VNA
VNA
