The 2013 campaign officially wrapped up in the light of fireworks at theclosing ceremony of the 27th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Myanmar, afocal sporting event that drove the movement of Vietnam's sport duringthe whole of last year.
Among smiles and tears, successes andfailures, wins and losses, a new direction has been gradually promotedfor Vietnam's sport, straight forward to the future. Analysis by NhanDan (People) online newspaper.
The Vietnam sporting contingenthas achieved the main objectives set prior to their departure for the27th SEA Games, finishing third overall with 73 gold, 86 silver and 86bronze medals. Earning a podium finish in six consecutive SEA Gamesseasons is a convincing declaration of the commanding position ofVietnamese athletics on the regional stage.
Those regionalresults, however, seem to bear little connection with larger arenas suchas the Asian Games (Asiad) or the Olympic Games, says Nguyen Hong Minh,former head of the High Performance Sports Department. At recentcontinental and international sporting events, Vietnam struggled to turnin better performances, even returning empty-handed several times,while other regional opponents, including Singapore, Indonesia andMalaysia, harvested certain successes.
The SEA Games medals nolonger symbolise true sportsmanship and fair play, as disputes ariseover the so-called ‘privileges’ of the host nations whenever the Gamesare held. Teardrops from those deprived of glories and the hosts’ unfairtreatment in terms of competition curricula, organisational work andreferees are gradually turning the region’s largest sporting event intonothing more than a ‘local festival’.
The burden of regionalachievements has become a big obstacle as the national team strives toadapt to those distinctive requests instead of paying attention toobtaining true values on its way of development.
Was it worth itto see Quach Thi Lan faint from exhaustion on the women’s 400m hurdles,or female boxer Nguyen Thi Chinh continue her competition despiteinjuries when they did not always receive appropriate rewards? Is itreasonable that the incentive for those noble athletes is usually sosmall compared to that of the men’s football team – the team thatcreates the most anticipation but also causes continual disappointments?
Vietnamese sport fans have been waiting a long time for thecountry to succeed at the Asian Games or the Olympic Games, and for anathlete to conquer the glory like the one won by taekwondo artist TranHieu Ngan (silver, Olympics 2000) and weightlifter Hoang Anh Tuan(silver, Olympics 2008).
Despite the knowledge that every medalwon is the result of the athlete’s hard work, it seems that Nguyen ThiAnh Vien, Nguyen Hoang Ngan, Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc and other outstandingVietnamese athletes are wasting their time and efforts in contestswhich are gradually losing their meaning.
Unless timelyadjustments are made, Vietnam sport will never be able to escape fromthe ‘regional slough’ to get prepared for the 17th Asiad in the Republicof Korea this year or the 18th Asiad to be hosted in Vietnam in fiveyears’ time; events which spare no place for the ‘special sports’ ofhost localities.
The fans are now no longer anticipating each SEAGames gold medal like they did in the opening days of regionalintegration. What they are really waiting for is the moment the nationalflag flies proudly on continental and world arenas following thesuccess achieved by the country’s prominent athletes.
It is theright time for necessary changes to be made, in thought first and thenin action to realise those high-flying aspirations. Positive signalshave already come out in the beginning stages, especially in two stapleOlympic sports – athletics and swimming. Vietnam currently possesses ageneration of promising talents, with many pillars of the athletics andswimming teams only 19 or 20 years of age.
Vietnam's sport hasbeen shifting back to a mainstream orbit, with mainstream paths to reapsuccess based on the root consolidation. Maybe the country will obtainfewer SEA Games achievements but may welcome more valuable results.-VNA
Among smiles and tears, successes andfailures, wins and losses, a new direction has been gradually promotedfor Vietnam's sport, straight forward to the future. Analysis by NhanDan (People) online newspaper.
The Vietnam sporting contingenthas achieved the main objectives set prior to their departure for the27th SEA Games, finishing third overall with 73 gold, 86 silver and 86bronze medals. Earning a podium finish in six consecutive SEA Gamesseasons is a convincing declaration of the commanding position ofVietnamese athletics on the regional stage.
Those regionalresults, however, seem to bear little connection with larger arenas suchas the Asian Games (Asiad) or the Olympic Games, says Nguyen Hong Minh,former head of the High Performance Sports Department. At recentcontinental and international sporting events, Vietnam struggled to turnin better performances, even returning empty-handed several times,while other regional opponents, including Singapore, Indonesia andMalaysia, harvested certain successes.
The SEA Games medals nolonger symbolise true sportsmanship and fair play, as disputes ariseover the so-called ‘privileges’ of the host nations whenever the Gamesare held. Teardrops from those deprived of glories and the hosts’ unfairtreatment in terms of competition curricula, organisational work andreferees are gradually turning the region’s largest sporting event intonothing more than a ‘local festival’.
The burden of regionalachievements has become a big obstacle as the national team strives toadapt to those distinctive requests instead of paying attention toobtaining true values on its way of development.
Was it worth itto see Quach Thi Lan faint from exhaustion on the women’s 400m hurdles,or female boxer Nguyen Thi Chinh continue her competition despiteinjuries when they did not always receive appropriate rewards? Is itreasonable that the incentive for those noble athletes is usually sosmall compared to that of the men’s football team – the team thatcreates the most anticipation but also causes continual disappointments?
Vietnamese sport fans have been waiting a long time for thecountry to succeed at the Asian Games or the Olympic Games, and for anathlete to conquer the glory like the one won by taekwondo artist TranHieu Ngan (silver, Olympics 2000) and weightlifter Hoang Anh Tuan(silver, Olympics 2008).
Despite the knowledge that every medalwon is the result of the athlete’s hard work, it seems that Nguyen ThiAnh Vien, Nguyen Hoang Ngan, Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc and other outstandingVietnamese athletes are wasting their time and efforts in contestswhich are gradually losing their meaning.
Unless timelyadjustments are made, Vietnam sport will never be able to escape fromthe ‘regional slough’ to get prepared for the 17th Asiad in the Republicof Korea this year or the 18th Asiad to be hosted in Vietnam in fiveyears’ time; events which spare no place for the ‘special sports’ ofhost localities.
The fans are now no longer anticipating each SEAGames gold medal like they did in the opening days of regionalintegration. What they are really waiting for is the moment the nationalflag flies proudly on continental and world arenas following thesuccess achieved by the country’s prominent athletes.
It is theright time for necessary changes to be made, in thought first and thenin action to realise those high-flying aspirations. Positive signalshave already come out in the beginning stages, especially in two stapleOlympic sports – athletics and swimming. Vietnam currently possesses ageneration of promising talents, with many pillars of the athletics andswimming teams only 19 or 20 years of age.
Vietnam's sport hasbeen shifting back to a mainstream orbit, with mainstream paths to reapsuccess based on the root consolidation. Maybe the country will obtainfewer SEA Games achievements but may welcome more valuable results.-VNA
