Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Swimmers excel, records fall

Going swimmingly: Da Nang-born swimmer Hoang Quy Phuoc set two new records at the National Sport Games, helping his team to second place in the swimming. — VNA/VNS Photo

Going swimmingly: Da Nang-born swimmer Hoang Quy Phuoc set two new records at the National Sport Games, helping his team to second place in the swimming. — VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI — The sixth National Sport Games saw 13 national swimming records set on Sunday on the second day of competition in the central city of Da Nang.

Among the record breakers was teenager Hoang Quy Phuoc, who smashed his own men's 100m record set at the National Swimming Championship last month by nearly two seconds with a time of 50.92sec. Phuoc was also part of the record breaking 4x200m freestyle team.

"These records will motivate me to try my best in training and compete for better results in the future," Phuoc said, with a smile.

Olympian Nguyen Huu Viet also broke his own record in the men's 50m breaststroke, with a time of 28.39sec, over half a second faster than the one he set three months ago.

Other records were set in the men's 200m breaststroke and 400m medley events.

On the women's side, Duong Thi Thom of Quang Ninh Province broke the 200m breaststroke record with a time of 2.21:22. Earlier, Quang Binh Province's Pham Thi Hue triumphed in the 50m breaststroke setting a new record of 32.46. HCM City-born Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen, who was the youngest Vietnamese swimmer to compete at Guangzhou's Asian Games, marked her presence with a gold medal and a record in the 200m medley.

HCM City are leading the swimming medal tally with three gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Da Nang are in second position, having won two golds, two silvers and one bronze. Quang Binh are third with one gold, one silver and one bronze. — VNS

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Ha Noi T&T meet Song Lam Nghe An in Super Cup

HA NOI – Defending V-League champions Ha Noi T&T are ready for a tough season opener against Song Lam Nghe An in the Super Cup at Hang Day Stadium next Sunday.

The Hanoian team, who won the premier league in June, will play their long-term rivals and National Cup winners Nghe An in a widely anticipated match before hosting Hoa Phat Ha Noi in the opening game of the national championships on January 22.

T&T boast a string of stars including goalie Duong Hong Son, the 2008 player of the year and captain Brazilian Cristiano Roland as well as maestro Le Hong Minh and Brazil's Cauce Benicio along with attacking midfielder Cao Sy Cuong.

Top striker Le Cong Vinh has yet to recover from a knee injury, but the team welcomes the services of newly-signed left winger Thach Bao Khanh from Thanh Hoa and striker Iuril from the Ukraine.

"We have kept our key players who helped the club clinch the first trophy for a Hanoian team in 12 years. I expect Vinh to be back in action soon," said the club chairman, Nguyen Quoc Hoi.

Team coach Phan Thanh Hung has been watching the 24-year-old Iuril at the on-going Hoa Phat Football tournament before he is due to sign a contract next month.

However, Nghe An are not likely to go down without a fight and are planning on giving Ha Noi T&T a run for their money having just finished an intensive month of pre-season training.

They pose a serious attacking threat with the combination of Raiko Vidovic, Abdulrazak Ekpoki and Mitrovic Dalibor up front.

Nghe An go into the game full of confidence after defeating two-time V-League champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai 1-0 in the National Cup final in August.

They also have the added incentive of winning the Super Cup for a fourth time.

Super Cup glory

The Super Cup winners will receive a VND150 million (US$7,000) cash prize, with the runners-up pocketing VND70 million ($3,300).

Former The Cong, or the Army team won the first Super Cup in 1999. Nghe An took home the cup in 2000, 2001, and 2002. They were finally beaten by Hoang Anh-Gia Lai, who held the title for the next two years.

Binh Duong also grabbed the title twice.

This is the 12th year that the event will be organised by the Tien Phong (Vanguard) Newspaper and the Viet Nam Football Federation. The 584 Group is the cup's sponsors. -- VNS

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Uyen Linh proclaimed “Vietnam Idol 2010”

Tran Nguyen Uyen Linh beat Van Mai Huong in a vote of mobile phone users
to be named ‘Vietnam Idol 2010', in a live televised finale in HCM City
on Dec. 25 night.


In their final performances of the
competition, Uyen Linh sang a duet with diva My Linh while 16-year-old
Huong peformed alongside veteran singing star Hong Nhung.


Uyen
Linh, a 22-year-old graduate of the Academy of Diplomacy, was a comeback
of sorts, as she failed to win enough audience support during the sixth
round of the competition to continue in the competition. But competitor
Anh Khoa withdrew from the competition, allowing her to advance.


On
Saturday night, Uyen Linh also expressed her gratitude to Khoa, saying,
"It's you who gave me the chance to become Vietnam Idol."


Uyen Linh said she would dedicate her upcoming debut album as a "thank you" to all the people who supported her in the contest.


"I
would like to say congratulations to Uyen Linh," said Vietnam Idol
judge Quang Dung. "Not only because young fans became crazy about her,
but also because many older people sympathised with her and voted for
her."./.

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Monday, December 27, 2010

Swimming records fall

HA NOI – The sixth National Sport Games saw 13 national swimming records set on Sunday on the second day of competition in the central city of Da Nang.

Among the record breakers was teenager Hoang Quy Phuoc, who smashed his own men's 100m record set at the National Swimming Championship last month by nearly two seconds with a time of 50.92sec. Phuoc was also part of the record breaking 4x200m freestyle team.

"These records will motivate me to try my best in training and compete for better results in the future," Phuoc said, with a smile.

Olympian Nguyen Huu Viet also broke his own record in the men's 50m breaststroke, with a time of 28.39sec, over half a second faster than the one he set three months ago.

Other records were set in the men's 200m breaststroke and 400m medley events.

On the women's side, Duong Thi Thom of Quang Ninh Province broke the 200m breaststroke record with a time of 2.21:22. Earlier, Quang Binh Province's Pham Thi Hue triumphed in the 50m breaststroke setting a new record of 32.46. HCM City-born Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen, who was the youngest Vietnamese swimmer to compete at Guangzhou's Asian Games, marked her presence with a gold medal and a record in the 200m medley.

HCM City are leading the swimming medal tally with three gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Da Nang are in second position, having won two golds, two silvers and one bronze. Quang Binh are third with one gold, one silver and one bronze. – VNS

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Sibling walkers set Sports Games records

 
Simply the best: The opening ceremony of the National Sports Games in Da Nang. — VNA/VNS Photos Ngoc Truong

Simply the best: The opening ceremony of the National Sports Games in Da Nang. — VNA/VNS Photos Ngoc Truong

 

Walk on by : Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc finishes first in the 20km walk


HA NOI — Walker Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc from Da Nang finished first in the women's 20km walk at the sixth National Sport Games, which kicked off in Da Nang city on Saturday.

She clocked a one hour 40 minute finish to win a gold medal and a new national record, beating Phan Thi Bich Ha from Vinh Phuc, who came in second, and Lai Thi Hoa of Thai Binh, who finished third.

Her younger brother Nguyen Thanh Ngung then added another gold and set up a new record of 1:31.32 in the men's division.

Marathoner Nguyen Dang Duc Bao of Khanh Hoa finished first in the men's marathon with time in 2:31.32, while Pham Thi Hien from Thai Binh came first in the women's event at 2:53.02.

With 29 sports already finished in 20 localities nationwide, Ha Noi continued to dominate the medal tally in the ongoing National Sports Games by claiming top position with 153 golds, 112 silvers and 113 bronzes.

HCM City trailed with 102 golds, 88 silvers and 114 bronzes, while the Military team ranked third with 56 gold, 71 silver and 64 bronze medals.

The Sports Games, which are organised every four years, will close on Friday. — VNS

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Gastronomy festival opens in Ho Chi Minh City

Gastronomy festival opens in Ho Chi Minh City

The fifth gastronomy festival opened in Ho Chi Minh City on December 26
to promote Vietnamese and international food to domestic and foreign
visitors.


Being jointly organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture,
Sports and Tourism, the municipal Tourism Association and the Youth
Advertising Company, the event is part of activities to welcome the
lunar New Year (Tet) festival.


As many as 43 businesses from
18 countries, including Cambodia, Japan, Thailand, Turkey, China, Italy,
Malaysia, Singapore and the Republic of Korea (RoK) are displaying
their products at 50 booths.


Visitors will have a chance to
enjoy a wide range of activities including a street parade with a large
number of professional and amateur artists, bartender performances,
Vietnam’s biggest rice pancake and vote for delicious dishes from 18
countries.


There will also be special performances by artists
from the RoK, Russia, Germany and Vietnam, and a fashion show with ao
dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress), RoK hanbok, Japanese kimono,
and traditional costumes of other countries.


In particular, a
music gala to welcome New Year on Dec. 31 with firework displays,
traditional dancing performances and discount programmes at all stalls
will also be held.

The event will last until January 2, 2011./.

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Saturday, December 25, 2010

Japanese cartoon festival to be held in Hanoi

Japanese cartoon festival to be held in Hanoi

An array of eight famous Japanese animated films produced in the early
2000s will be screened at the National Cinema Centre from January 12-16,
2011.


The event is being jointly held by the
Japanese Culture Department, the Japanese Cultural Exchange Centre in
Vietnam , the Cinematographic Department and the National Cinema
Centre.


The festival will especially feature “Spirit
away” directed by Miyazaki Hayao in 2001, which won the Golden Bear
award in 2002 and was among the Oscar competitors for best animated
feature film at the 75 th annual Academy Awards ceremony.


“Spirit away” tells about the adventures of a 10-year-old girl,
Chihiro, who is accidentally thrown into a “spirit” world. While working
at a bathhouse catering to spirits and gods, she tries to rescue her
parents from a spell that transformed them into pigs.


Prior to the event, popular voice actress Mitsuki Saiga, guitarist
Kazuya Nishikawa and several film makers will engage in an exchange with
Vietnamese audience.


Cartoon pilgrims may get free
tickets at the Japanese Cultural Exchange Centre in Vietnam at 27
Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi as from 2.pm on January 5./.

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