Shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - The following are Vietnam's top 10 sports events in 2016.
1. Marksman HoangXuan Vinh won a gold and a silver medals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games inAugust.
The armyman made the nation’s dream come truewith his perfect performance in the men’s 10m air pistol event with 202.5points in 20 shots. Three days later, Vinh missed his second title after comingsecond in the 50m pistol event.
The 42-year-old became the first Olympic goldmedallist in Vietnam’s history.
2. A month after the milestone of the nationalsport, also in Rio, weightlifter Le Van Cong set a new record of 183kg in themen’s U49kg category of the Paralympics.
After five seasons in Paralympics, Vietnam’sathletes finally notched up the highest achievement.
Apart from Cong, other Vietnamese athletesalso took home one silver and two bronze medals in swimming, weightlifting andathletics.
3. The Vietnamese national futsal squad madehistory with their first ever ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2016 in Colombia inSeptember.
Earlier in the Asian championship, Vietnamovercame title favourite and defending champions Japan in the semi-final. As aresult, they qualified for the World Cup.
The team made a bigger bang as they enteredthe World Cup’s quarter-final round and grabbed the fair-play award.
4. Vietnam’s U19 team qualified to the finalof the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2017.
Coach Hoang Anh Tuan and his team had anunbelievable journey at the Asian U19 Football Championship in Bahrain inOctober.
Despite being considered the underdogs ofGroup B, Vietnam beat stronger DPRK 2-1, tied the UAE 1-1 and drew Iraq 0-0 toadvance to the quarter-finals.
In the last 16, Vietnam defeated the host 1-0and became one of four best teams of the tournament to represent Asia at theWorld Cup in the Republic of Korea.
5. Swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien grabbed a goldand set a record of 4min 37.71sec at the Asian Swimming Championships’ women’s400m individual medley event in Japan in November.
It was the first title for Vietnam in thecontinental competition after many years of waiting.
6. Master Nguyen Thi Mai Hung won a gold medalat the Asian Individual Blitz Women’s Chess Championship in Uzbekistan in June.Her teammate Le Quang Liem won two silvers. Both of them qualified for theChess World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia, from September 1 to 25, 2017.
7. The fifth Asian Beach Games was held in DaNang in September.
Hosts Vietnam led the chart with 52 goldmedals, 44 silver medals and 43 bronze medals. It was the first time Vietnamesesports was on top at a continent-level Games. Thailand came second, and Chinathird.
8. Vietnamese players ‘exported’ abroad.
Vietnam used to have some players competingabroad but it was 2016 which saw a number of talents who signed contracts withinternational clubs. They all trained at the Hoang Anh Gia Lai-Arsenal JMGAcademy.
Striker Nguyen Cong Phuong moved to JapaneseMito Hollyhock in one year. Midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh joined Yokohama FC, alsoin Japan. Midfielder Luong Xuan Truong was on loan to the Republic of Korea’sIncheon United before moving to Gangwon FC.
9. Vietnam has its first professionalbasketball league.
The Vietnam Basketball Association (VBA)League presented five teams in its debut season, presenting a new image andpromoting understanding of the sport to national fans.
The tournament kicked off in August with about50 matches in four months. Danang Dragon exhibited a magical performance,passing title candidate Saigon Heat and powerful rivals HCM City Wing and HanoiBuffaloes to be champion in the first year.
10. The national men’s football team quest forthe AFF Cup 2016 title falls short in December.
Vietnam lost 3-4 to Indonesia in the semi-finalsagainst Indonesia that made the most of Vietnam’s defensive frailties. Vietnamunder coach Nguyen Huu Thang put on a brave display and pushed the game intoextra time despite playing with 10 men in the concluding stages of the homeleg.-VNA
1. Marksman HoangXuan Vinh won a gold and a silver medals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games inAugust.
The armyman made the nation’s dream come truewith his perfect performance in the men’s 10m air pistol event with 202.5points in 20 shots. Three days later, Vinh missed his second title after comingsecond in the 50m pistol event.
The 42-year-old became the first Olympic goldmedallist in Vietnam’s history.
2. A month after the milestone of the nationalsport, also in Rio, weightlifter Le Van Cong set a new record of 183kg in themen’s U49kg category of the Paralympics.
After five seasons in Paralympics, Vietnam’sathletes finally notched up the highest achievement.
Apart from Cong, other Vietnamese athletesalso took home one silver and two bronze medals in swimming, weightlifting andathletics.
3. The Vietnamese national futsal squad madehistory with their first ever ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2016 in Colombia inSeptember.
Earlier in the Asian championship, Vietnamovercame title favourite and defending champions Japan in the semi-final. As aresult, they qualified for the World Cup.
The team made a bigger bang as they enteredthe World Cup’s quarter-final round and grabbed the fair-play award.
4. Vietnam’s U19 team qualified to the finalof the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2017.
Coach Hoang Anh Tuan and his team had anunbelievable journey at the Asian U19 Football Championship in Bahrain inOctober.
Despite being considered the underdogs ofGroup B, Vietnam beat stronger DPRK 2-1, tied the UAE 1-1 and drew Iraq 0-0 toadvance to the quarter-finals.
In the last 16, Vietnam defeated the host 1-0and became one of four best teams of the tournament to represent Asia at theWorld Cup in the Republic of Korea.
5. Swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien grabbed a goldand set a record of 4min 37.71sec at the Asian Swimming Championships’ women’s400m individual medley event in Japan in November.
It was the first title for Vietnam in thecontinental competition after many years of waiting.
6. Master Nguyen Thi Mai Hung won a gold medalat the Asian Individual Blitz Women’s Chess Championship in Uzbekistan in June.Her teammate Le Quang Liem won two silvers. Both of them qualified for theChess World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia, from September 1 to 25, 2017.
7. The fifth Asian Beach Games was held in DaNang in September.
Hosts Vietnam led the chart with 52 goldmedals, 44 silver medals and 43 bronze medals. It was the first time Vietnamesesports was on top at a continent-level Games. Thailand came second, and Chinathird.
8. Vietnamese players ‘exported’ abroad.
Vietnam used to have some players competingabroad but it was 2016 which saw a number of talents who signed contracts withinternational clubs. They all trained at the Hoang Anh Gia Lai-Arsenal JMGAcademy.
Striker Nguyen Cong Phuong moved to JapaneseMito Hollyhock in one year. Midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh joined Yokohama FC, alsoin Japan. Midfielder Luong Xuan Truong was on loan to the Republic of Korea’sIncheon United before moving to Gangwon FC.
9. Vietnam has its first professionalbasketball league.
The Vietnam Basketball Association (VBA)League presented five teams in its debut season, presenting a new image andpromoting understanding of the sport to national fans.
The tournament kicked off in August with about50 matches in four months. Danang Dragon exhibited a magical performance,passing title candidate Saigon Heat and powerful rivals HCM City Wing and HanoiBuffaloes to be champion in the first year.
10. The national men’s football team quest forthe AFF Cup 2016 title falls short in December.
Vietnam lost 3-4 to Indonesia in the semi-finalsagainst Indonesia that made the most of Vietnam’s defensive frailties. Vietnamunder coach Nguyen Huu Thang put on a brave display and pushed the game intoextra time despite playing with 10 men in the concluding stages of the homeleg.-VNA
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