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Vietnam sends biggest ever team with hopes for success
Updated: 2010-03-16 12:58
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Vietnam will send the larg¬est-ever Vietnamese team to participate in this year’s Guangzhou Asian Games, according to Nguyen Van Tho, the ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet¬nam to China.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and China. In cel¬ebration of the “Year of Vietnam – China Friendship”, Vietnam will be sending a team of 500 athletes to the Games.
“this not only shows the atten¬tion that Vietnam pays to sports development, but also shows the great importance that Viet¬nam attaches to Vietnam-China friendship and cooperation,” said the ambassador.
In January 2008, Vietnam helped to promote the Games by hosting the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games Fun Run. Co-orga¬nized by the Vietnam Olympic Committee and the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Com¬mittee, the event attracted some 500 youngsters aged 9 to 15 years old. Each runner received a limited edition T-shirt and cap, and a Cer¬tificate of Participation.
Sports are popular in Vietnam and the country has gained the reputation of Asia’s newest pow¬erhouse in sport. The country was overall champion in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games and ranked third in the past two South¬east Asian Games.
Vietnam is especially strong in martial arts like judo, taekwondo, karatedo, wushu, wrestling and pencak silat and is also known for its success in fin swimming, sepaktakraw and shuttlecock kicking.
The ambassador said: “I am confident that at the upcoming tournaments, the Vietnamese sportsmen and sportswomen will record better results than ever before.”
He added: “I am sure that our team will be able to do well and also enjoy themselves because they are coming to the Games with their friendly and fair-play spirit, and they will enjoy great support and encouragement from the enthusiastic Chinese spectators.”
Besides competition, “the Asian Games is an important event in the spiritual life of the Asian peoples,” said the ambassador. “The world has the Olympic Games while our Asia has the Asian Games, which expresses the Olympic spirit with Asian characteristics.”
The ambassador regarded the host city of Guangzhou as a lead¬ing city that is a symbol of Asia’s dynamic development.
He said: “The whole of Asia, as well as the world, are looking for¬ward to a thrilling performance. I think that athletes come to the games not only to compete with each other, but to make themselves the bridges of friendship between nations.
“Therefore, this Asian Games will make an important contribu¬tion to strengthening friendship and cooperation among the Asian community.”
