High hopes pinned on Vietnamese athletics at upcoming Asia tournament

Hanoi (VNA) - The 25th Asian Athletics Championship is slated to kick off in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 12, with Vietnamese athletes undergoing vigorous training in the hope of achieving their best performance results at the regional stage.

The five-day tournament is expected to see the participation of almost all of the strongest competitors who aim to prepare for the Asian Games (ASIAD) in September in China and secure their berths at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Vietnam will send a 16-strong team to the championship. Among the Vietnamese athletes are SEA Games champions Nguyen Thi Huyen, Nguyen Thi Hang, Nguyen Thi Oanh and Luong Duc Phuoc.

After the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, Huyen took a gold in the women's 400m hurdles at the Taiwan Open last week. Hang won in the women's 400m while Phuoc was a champion in the men's 1,500m at the same event. Oanh, who made history with four golds at Sea Games 32, withdrew from the Taiwan Open at the last minute, as her coaches wanted her to remain in Vietnam to train.

The 25th championship in Bangkok is significant as it gives the athletes a chance to compete with and study their opponents, hence making predictions on their chances at ASIAD, said Nguyen Manh Hung, General Secretary of the Vietnam Athletics Federation.

Vietnam might see no opportunity to shine in the women’s 400m and 400m hurdles events, but its 4x400 metres relay team is in good shape with sound achievements, assessed the training board of the Vietnamese track-and-field squad./.