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Bound for glory: Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan tells Vietnamese athletes to compete with honour at the send-off ceremony in Ha Noi yesterday. Viet Nam will compete at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China this week. — VNA/VNS Ngoc Truong |
Speaking at the send-off ceremony at Ha Noi's Military Theatre yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said, "ASIAD is the biggest sporting event in the continent this year. It is will be a tough competition with many powerful rivals but I hope our athletes will try their best in the spirit of the Games. You must follow the rules and regulations, and always respect the referees' decisions."
The deputy PM confirmed that despite many difficulties, the Vietnamese Government had paid special attention to sport which was considered an important sector that promoted the development of the country and highlighted the position of Viet Nam on the world stage.
"I believe that each of the Vietnamese participants will be a cultural ambassador and represent the beauty of the people and nation of Viet Nam.
"I hope our athletes will successfully complete their duties and bring home glory," Nhan said.
Deputy head of the National Sports Administration Le Quy Phuong, who is leading Viet Nam's delegation to Guangzhou, also reminded the team of their task.
"We have made good preparations for ASIAD and we're ready to leave for the Games. We will do our best to win at least four gold medals and finish in the top 20.
"The encouragement from state leaders and the public today will drive us on to ASIAD success."
On behalf of all participants, sprinter Vu Thi Huong, who is the women's 100m Southeast Asian Games champion, swore an oath that Vietnamese athletes would try their best to succeed in the spirit of friendliness and fair play.
Two hundred and sixty Vietnamese athletes will participate at the Games in 27 sports. Most of the team will depart for Guangzhou on Thursday while the others will join them later.
Viet Nam are hopeful of gold in the sepak takraw and karate, in which the Vietnamese women and Vu Thi Nguyet Anh are defending champions.
Chess makes its debut this year and Vietnamese masters have made their mark on the world stage with remarkable success in recent years.
More success is expected in track and field, shooting, billiards and snooker.
At the previous Games in Qatar, Viet Nam grabbed three gold, 13 silver and seven bronze medals, ranking 19th out of 38 delegations. Their best performance came eight year ago in Busan, South Korea, where they earned four gold, seven silver and seven bronze medals, which helped them to reach 15th out of 43 teams.
The 16th Asian Games' opening ceremony will be on Friday and the Games will close on November 27. — VNS
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