VietNamNet Bridge – The national billiards and snooker team has set themselves a target of winning gold at the upcoming Asian Games.

Vu aims to knock ‘em out at Dutch tourney

Vu to be ASIAD carom second seed

Billiards team aim for all-Vietnamese final

Eyes on a medal: Duong Anh Vu plays a carom match. He plays in the Asian Games in China next week. (Photo: VNS)

Seeded two, Vu looks as if he will have an easy route to the final. Viet Nam's top player will have to win four matches to take the title and will start his bid for glory against Abdulmajeed Bashar Hussain of Qatar in the first round.

His first real obstacle could be world No 4 Kim Kyung Roul of South Korea in the semi-finals. The two players have met each other four times and are tied 2-2. Vu defeated Kim in the final of the third Asian Indoor Games last October to take the gold in their latest meeting.

Viet Nam, South Korea and Japan dominate the sport across Asia.

"I am confident this time because I know Vu's skills and ability. He lost in the final last time because of a lack of experience but we will fix that mistake this time," said coach Nguyen Viet Hoa. Hoa has watched Vu progress over the past four years and is excited about his chances at this year Games. He is anxious to see Vu step onto the medal rostrum because it would be "worthy of his talent".

Teammate Ly The Vinh will also be competing in the event. The HCM City-based cueist is not a favourite but hopes to cause an upset at the Games.

Vinh who won the national championships last month has plenty of experience at international tournaments. He also has the ability to learn and adapt to different pool tables which are not always of the highest standard.

This may work to his advantage, given that the Wiraka table will be used at this year's Games, which according to Hoa, is not particularly good. Athletes who can adapt quickly to conditions will have a higher chance of winning.

Vinh has always performed well on Wiraka tables, beating world No 21 Vu in the final of this years national championships.

The two-time SEA Games champion will meet Rodolfo Luat of the Philippines in the first round.

It will be the third time Vinh has taken part in the Games. On the previous two occasions he was knocked out in the quarter-finals.

Luong Chi Dung and Nguyen Phuc Long will compete in the men's 8- and 9-ball singles. Dung and Nguyen Hoang Quan will take part in the men's snooker individual event and Quan together with SEA Games champion Nguyen Thanh Long will play in the men's English billiards.

On the women's team, Duong Thuy Vi and Doan Thi Ngoc Le will be represent Viet Nam in all four events.

Vietnamese cueists made a bang at the 14th ASIAD in Busan eight years ago with a gold medal in the billiards libre by veteran Tran Dinh Hoa. Four years later in Doha, Vu managed a 3-cushion carom silver.

The 11-man team will have to pay their own expenses to get to the game.

Athletes will leave for Guangzhou on November 11, two days before the competitions begin. The events will run until November 20 with a total of 20 medal sets up for grabs.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News