Top badminton players compete at Malaysia Open

Vietnam’s No1 badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh has joined the Malaysia Open 2014, which is taking place from January 14-19.

In his first match, Tien Minh meets No.1 seed Son Wan Ho of the Republic of Korea who had trounced Tien Minh in the final round of Taiwan Open last year. If Minh advances to the second round, he will face off with longstanding Indonesian rival Sony Kuncoro.

Female player Vu Thi Trang, who clinched a bronze medal at the recent 27th SEA Games in Myanmar, is also representing Vietnam at the ongoing tournament.

Vu Thi Trang (world’s No116) faces tough competition against Lim Yin Fun (world’s No172) of the host country.

The Malaysia Open 2014 is part of Super Series Premier organized by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) that draws the participation of the world’s top 10 players. The winners will be awarded cash prizes totaling US$500,000.

U19 squad to train in Europe, Japan

Vietnam’s U19 national team will attend training camps in the UK, Belgium and Japan in preparation for the upcoming Asian U19 Championships scheduled for Myanmar in October 2014.

The first training camp is set for March in the UK where they will compete in friendly matches against leading junior teams, including Arsenal. They will then fly to Belgium to participate in additional training through April 20.

The Vietnamese players are also scheduled to face off strong Japanese football teams in friendly matches in Tokyo and Osaka in Japan in June.

Meanwhile, the U19 squad will take part in the East Asian open tourney before competing at the Asian Champs.

As many as 24 footballers will line up for the national U19 team, including 16 from the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Arsenal JMG Football Academy.

Friendly hockey match held between Vietnam, Canada

A friendly ice hockey match was held in Hanoi on January 13 between Canadian and Vietnamese amateur players as part of the Canada-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group’s visit to Vietnam.

Players included visiting Canadian parliamentarians and entrepreneurs, Vietnamese officials and representatives from the Vietnam–Canada Friendship Parliamentary Group.

The Canadian side won the game 17–8.

Congressman Patrick Brown, head of the Canada–Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group, said the match was an opportunity for the Canadian side to introduce their national sport to Vietnamese people. He added that this event would help tighten both sides’ solidarity and friendship.

Earlier the same day, the organisations and the Canadian Embassy held a talk on the country’s educational environment.