Top national athletes take part in a torch relay ceremony on December 5 in Hà Nội, VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI — A torch relay ceremony was held on December 5 in Hà Nội, a first step toward the National Sports Games which will be kicked of on Friday in Quảng Ninh Province.

Nine outstanding athletes of Việt Nam - runner Nguyễn Thị Oanh, long jumper Nguyễn Tiến Trọng, divers Nguyễn Phương Anh and Phương Thế Anh, archer Đỗ Thị Ánh Nguyệt, wushu artist Dương Thúy Vi, boxer Nguyễn Thị Tâm, handball player Lê Đức Anh and gymnast Đinh Phương Thành - represented national competitors at the event held at the Hồ Chí Minh Museum.

The fire is taken from President Hồ Chí Minh Temple in the Hồ Chí Minh Museum.

The athletes and many sport leaders of different cities and provinces offered flowers at the President Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum before they went in the museum.

Dr. Vũ Mạnh Hà, director of the museum, carried out the ceremony by receiving the fire at President Hồ Chí Minh's Temple and lighting the torch.

The torch is delivered to a sport leader.

The torch was given to Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoàng Đạo Cương and then runner Oanh, who honourably held it while riding in an open convertible.

Runner Nguyễn Thị Oanh takes care of the torch in a jeep. Athletes will escort the torch from Hà Nội to Quảng Ninh Province.

The torch relay, escorted by a group of sports motorcycles and cars of the Ministry of Public Security, began from Hà Nội and reached Quảng Ninh's SunGroup Square in the evening.

The torch arrives in Quảng Ninh in the evening and will be protected until the opening ceremony on December 9.

The fire will be kept at the venue until the Games' opening ceremony when the torch lighting ceremony is held.

The ninth NSG will be from December 9-21 in Quảng Ninh, the main location, and 10 other cities and provinces. This is the largest Games in history with more than 17,000 participants from 65 delegations competing in 43 sports. VNS