V-League's Ninh Binh has signed a contract with Patiyo Tambwe to strengthen its forward line for the coming football league.

The Congolese striker, 29, played for Thanh Hoa last season but was not made use of in the second half of the season.

In Ninh Binh, he will pair with Ivory Coast 's Moussa Sanogo, 30, making it a foreign attacking duo for the team that was placed second from the bottom in 2012-13.

Earlier, coach Nguyen Van Sy had also recruited South Korean midfielder Soi Wi-sub.

The newcomers will be part of the team that will compete at the Asian Football Confederation Cup, starting in February.

Trien wins chess championship's world bronze medal

Vietnamese representative Nguyen Thi Thuy Trien pocketed a bronze medal at the World Youth Chess Championships, which closed in the United Arab Emirates over the weekend.

Trien, competing in the girls' under-18 blitz category, grabbed five points after seven matches. The Binh Dinh-Province girl ranked behind Maria Severina of Russia (eight points) and Michelle Catherina Prince from India (five points).

Her teammate Bach Ngoc Thuy Duong bagged fourth place in the girls' U-10 blitz category.

Duong had the same six points as the top three but scored in a lower sub-index.

Nguyen Ngan Ha stood fifth in the girls' U-8 blitz class, with 5.5 points, 0.5 points less than the winners.

250 bike racers welcome New Year

A cycling tournament kicked off in HCM City on the morning of the December 29 as part of New Year celebrations.

Approximately 250 cyclists young and old from cycling clubs across the city and surrounding provinces took part in the event.

They were divided into 27 teams competing in two age categories – between 16 and 55 in 64-km track, and between 46 and 60 in 32-km track.

Mai Ba Hung, Deputy Director of the HCM City Department for Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the annual tournament aims to help local bike racers hone their professional skills, select the best athletes for the national team, and promote sports and physically training movements.

Dai Trang crowned at Vietnam Masters

Huynh Phuong Dai Trang won the Vietnam Masters tennis tournament after beating compatriot Tran Thi Tam Hao in the final on December 29 at Ho Chi Minh City's Phu Tho Tennis Club.

Trang of Ho Chi Minh City faced little resistance as she beat Hao 6-1, 6-1 in the women's final, which also highlighted Trang's powerful forehands from the base line.

Trang, who is the second seed, won 35 million VND (1,700 USD), while Hao took home 20 million VND (950 USD). Both of them will represent the country at the Fed Cup Group II, Asia/Oceania Zone, in Kazakhstan in February.

In the men's competition, Nguyen Hoang Thien came from behind to beat Le Quoc Khanh 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 in a semi-final match.

It was the first time that a Vietnam Masters' semi-final match went to five sets. Earlier, Hanoian Trinh Linh Giang successfully trounced top seed Pham Minh Tuan of Da Nang 6-1, 6-4, 6-0.

For both players, reaching the final today marks a career milestone. Winning the final will be another milestone, since it will be their first triumph at a highly-rated national year-end tournament.

The champion will receive 50 million VND (2,400 USD), while the runner-up earns 30 million VND (1,400 USD).

Both players will be part of the Vietnamese squad at the Davis Cup Group II, Asia/Oceania Zone, which will be held in Vietnam late next month.