Miura selects coaching team

The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) has invited Nguyen Thanh Son to be an assistant to national team manager Toshyia Miura.

Son is acting coach of the V.League 1 champions Becamex Binh Duong.

Apart from Son, the VFF has also invited Tran Cong Minh, former national defender, to be one of the assistant coaches and Nguyen Quoc Tuan, of Hoang Anh Gia Lai, as the goalkeeper coach. They are to work for the U23 team.

The Japanese manager will also take charge of the national team where he will be assisted by Ngo Quang Sang, coach of Dong Tam Long An, keeper trainer Nguyen Duc Canh and Norimatsu Takashi, manager of the national women's squad.

The U23 players will compete at the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore in June. They will gather for training on May 5. Meanwhile the national side will take part in the World Cup qualifier, which is also the Asian Cup qualifying round, starting on June 11.

Ho Tram Strip to host Asian Tour tournament

The Ho Tram Strip in the southern coast province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau will host the Asian Tour tournament with a prize purse of US$1.5 million from December 3 to 6.

The event will be staged at the integrated resort, a two-hour ride southeast of HCMC, with the magnificent Greg Norman-designed Bluffs Ho Tram Strip golf course playing host to stars from the region’s premier tour following a landmark three-year agreement.

England’s Robert Rock, the course’s brand ambassador and a two-time winner on the European Tour, will be among the players competing in the inaugural Ho Tram Open.

The four-day event will be on live television broadcasts that will reach 180 countries and a potential 625 million homes on the Asian Tour’s global TV platform.

“It is also our hope that the launch of Vietnam’s richest golf championship will provide the catalyst for the game to grow in this beautiful country, especially with golf returning to the Olympic Summer Games program in 2016. We are committed to stage the Ho Tram Open for three years and we will work closely with the Asian Tour and our partners to ensure its success in 2015 and beyond,” said Colin Pine, general director of Ho Tram Project Company, in a statement.

According to the Asian Tour Chief Executive Officer Mike Kerr, the Ho Tram Open would contribute positively towards the growth and development of professional golf in Vietnam, which has great potential to unearth new and young talents.

He also shows his expectation that local golfers who have the opportunity to play in the Ho Tram Open will find the inspiration and determination to excel in the game and subsequently qualify for Rio de Janeiro and beyond.

Crafted by golf great Greg Norman, the visually-stunning Bluffs Ho Tram Strip opened for play in October 2014 and has received rave reviews for its ‘links style’ design and five-star clubhouse and recreational facilities.

Six new records set as national archery cup concludes

The 2015 National Archery Cup wrapped up in Hanoi on April 21 after six days of competition, witnessing Hanoi taking the top honour with 21 gold, 14 silver and 13 bronze medals; and six new national records being established.

Tra Vinh came in second place overall securing four gold, two silver and one bronze medal, while the third-place position went to Soc Trang, which took home two gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

Hanoi proved their absolute superiority over the remaining teams, accounting for five of the six new records set, achieved by Nguyen Tien Cuong in the men’s compound (three strings) 90m (346 points) and 50mx2 (701 points), Le Thi Thu Hien in the women’s recurve (one string) (340 points), Loc Thi Dao in the women’s recurve 70mx2 (640 points) and Chu Duc Anh in the men’s recurve 70mx2 (639 points).

The remaining record was set in the women’s compound 50mx2 category by Le Ngoc Huyen of Vinh Long (686 points).

The 2015 National Archery Cup took place at the Hanoi National Sports Training Centre, with more than 90 archers representing 14 teams from across the country competing for singles, doubles and team medals in the recurve and compound events, with distances of 30m, 50m, 70m and 90m for men and 30m, 50m, 60m and 70m for women.

The tournament aimed to discover and select outstanding athletes for national archery teams in preparation for upcoming regional and international competitions.

Nhan wins 13th stage

Nguyen Luu Thanh Nhan came first in the 13th stage of the 27th HCM City Television Cycling Cup yesterday.

Nhan of Mathnasium-HCM City rode solo for the last 2km of the 134km-long stage from Tuy Hoa to Nha Trang City, which he completed in 3:34.38.

Chau Hong Hau and Nguyen Van Duc of VTV Can Tho came second and third.

Nguyen Minh Viet of BTV Binh Duong took the yellow jersey for the best time of 34:44.48 after 13 stages. Quang Van Cuong of Ha Noi and Nguyen Hoang Giang of Gao Hat Ngoc Troi An Giang are runners-up.

Viet also heads to take the white jersey as the best young cyclist. The green jersey award for the best sprinter went to Le Van Duan of VUS-HCM City with 77 points.

Athletes will continue on to the 14th stage around Tran Phu Road in Nha Trang City today.

Thanh to play for Can Tho

Hai Phong's halfback Dinh Tien Thanh will play for Can Tho under a six-month loan contract between the two teams.

Thanh, who was member of the national U19 team, will be in Can Tho's line-up at tomorrow's match with Song Lam Nghe An in the Toyota V.League 1's 11th round.

After 10 rounds, Can Tho are at the bottom of the ranking with five points.