VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam is all set to host the Southeast Asian (SEA) student sports festival in Ha Noi on June 23-30, officials said.

Olympian teen Nguyen Thi Anh Vien will also participate in the event.

"Everything for the festival, from sporting facilities and accommodation, to transportation for the athletes, coaches and referees is ready," said deputy minister of Education and Training and head of the event's organising board Tran Quang Quy.

The festival will see the participation of around 1,500 athletes and coaches from hosts Viet Nam, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia and Brunei. Laos has also been invited to join the event as guests of the hosts.

They will compete in nine categories: track and field, sepak takraw, swimming, badminton, basketball, gymnastics, table tennis, volleyball, and pencak silat.

Viet Nam will send 248 athletes to compete across all events and has targeted second place in the medals tally.

Olympian teen Nguyen Thi Anh Vien will also participate in the event. She took home 11 gold and two silver medals as well as setting a new SEA Games record at the recent SEA Age Groups Swimming Championship in Brunei.

The flag raising ceremony will be held on June 22 at Ha Noi Elite Athlete Training Centre and broadcast live on Vietnamese Television channel VTV6.

The opening and closing ceremony will be held at Ha Noi Athletics Palace, while tournaments and other events will take place at Ha Noi Sports Training Centre, My Dinh National Stadium and the Aquatic Sport Centre.

Source: VNS