ASEAN senior sports officials meet in Hanoi

Sports officials from nine ASEAN countries attended the fourth Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS) in Hanoi from October 23 – 25.

The meeting aims to enhance mutual understanding among ASEAN peoples, tighten diplomatic ties and orient sports activities in ASEAN as well as promoting Vietnam’s culture, sports and tourism to regional friends.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on October 24, Lam Quang Thanh, Deputy Director of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training, appreciated cooperative progress among ASEAN countries, especially in sports and highlighted challenges and difficulties to overcome, including encouraging sport cooperation and orienting sports activities in the region.

Representatives from ASEAN countries reported on major sports events and future prorgammes in the region.

Kihei Maekawa, Japanese Deputy Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, made a presentation proposing cooperative activities on sports between Japan and ASEAN. He also highlighted Japan-Vietnam cooperation in football in recent times.

On October 25, the meeting continued discussing specific orientations and tasks for next years.

Athletes honoured for outstanding performance at ASIAD 17

A ceremony was held in Hanoi on October 24 to honour athletes in the capital city who have clinched medals at the 17th Asian Games (ASIAD 17) in the Republic of Korea.

Vietnam sent a 298-member delegation to compete at 21 out of 36 events of the continent’s largest sporting competition.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Le Hong Son said Hanoi athletes contributed 16 medals to Vietnam’s medal tally (36 medals). Son spoke highly of constant efforts by local athletes to bring a great source of pride for the nation, such as wushu gold medallist Duong Thuy Vi, and silver medallists namely long jumper Bui Thi Thu Thao, karate artist Nguyen Hoang Ngan, female shooter Dang Hong Ha, and rower Pham Thi Hai.

He presented Hanoi’s gifts worth more than VND115 million in total to the best athletes at ASIAD 17.

On this occasion, the capital city announced its list of representatives to the 7th National Sports Festival in the hope of securing top place at the event, which is scheduled to open in Nam Dinh province in December 2014.

Tan Binh, Khanh Hoa win beach volleyball titles

Pham Thi Cam Hong and Mai Thi Hoa of HCM City's Tan Binh won the women's title in the National Beach Volleyball Championships held in the central city yesterday.

The runners-ups were Ngo Vo Thanh Loan and Tran Thi Trong of Sana Khanh Hoa.

Nguyen Trong Quyen and Nguyen Trong Vinh of Sana Khanh Hoa took the men's title.

Liem falls to ninth place after loss at Spice Cup

Grandmaster Le Quang Liem of Viet Nam lost to Robson Ray of the United States in the eighth round of the Spice Cup in Missouri on Saturday.

With the loss, No 2 seed Liem missed his chance to get back to the top three and fell to ninth place with five points, 1.5 points less than the leader, GM Nyzhnyk Illya of Ukraine.

With his win, Ray placed second with six points, as many as his teammate, Naroditsky Daniel, who placed third.

In the final round, the Vietnamese will play GM Leon Hoyos Manuel of Mexico, who is at sixth place.