Bolstering hopes for 24th SEA Games
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Thanh Hang, women's 800 metres gold medallist
at the Asian championship.
Nhan Dan Online – Vietnamese track and field triumphed at the Asian contest in Jordan, winning a gold, a silver and two bronze medals. The victory will add confidence to the Vietnamese team to achieve its target of winning six gold medals at the forthcoming SEA Games.
Forecast in early 2007
Early this year, Duong Duc Thuy, head coach of Vietnamese track and field team, said he had targeted winning five gold medals at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand. These include two gold medals in the heptathlon and decathlon events with hopes resting on Nguyen Thi Thu Cuc and Vu Van Huyen; a gold medal in the women’s 100 metres (Vu Thi Huong), a gold medal in the women’s high jump (Bui Thi Nhung) and a gold medal in the women’s 1,500 metres (Truong Thanh Hang).
The target was set following top Vietnamese high jumper Nguyen Duy Bang’s exit from the national team, 23rd SEA Games women’s 800 metres gold medallist Do Thi Bong and Nguyen Dinh Cuong injuries and men’s 800 metres gold medallist Le Van Duong has retired.
However, in a meeting of officials from the Vietnam Committee for Physical Education and Sports in May, leaders of the National Sports Training Centre N0 3 set a target of winning three gold medals by middle-distance running group, coached by Ho Thi Tu Tam. Since Duy Bang’s decision, the Vietnam Committee of Physical Education and Sports has asked the team to adjust their targets.
Before the track and field team left for China for training, coach Tu Tam affirmed: “The middle-distance running group’s target is to win a gold medal despite Do Thi Bong and Nguyen Dinh Cuong suffering from injuries.” Therefore, on May 23, head of track and field at the Vietnam Committee for Physical Education and Sports Duong Duc Thuy set a target of winning six golds at the 24th SEA dépite Vietnam winning eight gold medals in track and field in the Philippines two years ago.
Current capability
In 2006, Truong Thanh Hang beat Do Thi Bong to win a double in the women’s 800 and 1,500 metres. Thanh Hang won a gold medal in the 800 metres and a bronze medal at the Asian championship.
Thanh Hang is tipped to win a double in Thailand. Nguyen Dinh Cuong is recovering well from his injury. If Cuong is fit for the SEA Games, the mid-distance runners may be able to achieve a target of winning three gold medals.
Vu Thi Huong is looking for a glorious win in women’s 100 and 200 metres after winning a silver and a bronze medal at the Asian championship.
Nguyen Thi Thu Cuc and Bui Thi Nhung failed to win a medal at the Asian championship but their results were much better than their main rivals from other South-East Asian countries.
Vu Van Huyen did not join the Asian contest due to injury but he is expected to win the gold medal.
Nguyen Duy Bang was not on his top form at the Asian championship, and he will face a tough job defending his gold medal in men’s high jump as his Malaysian rival Hup Wei Lee won the gold medal, clearing 2.24 metres while Duy Bang only cleared 2.14 metres and finished eighth out of 16.
Minh Giang
posted by SEAGAMES 2009 @ Saturday, August 04, 2007,
