Da Nang supports Olympic bid

Da Nang People's Committee has decided to support its top athletes for the remainder of the year.

Walker Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc and weighlifter Tran Le Quoc Toan, who will compete at the Olympic Games this summer, will receive VND15 million (US$720) per month.

The city will also give VND10 million ($480) per month to swimmer Chau Ba Anh Tu, who won two gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia last year.

HCM City Telecom duo triumph

HCM City Telecom's Mai Hoang My Trang and Tran Ngoc Quynh Tram won the women's doubles at the Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper's National Table Tennis Championships on Wednesday in Da Nang.

They defeated Pham Thi Thien Kim and Le Thi Phuong Dung from Tien Giang 12-10, 11-5, 11-4 in the final.

In the men's doubles final, Nguyen Thanh Luan and Dinh Quang Linh from the Army team beat Ho Ngoc Thuan and Nguyen Thanh Phong from the Public Security Ministry 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10.

Hai Duong 1 and Tien Giang won the men's and women's team events.

Tung wins stage, green jersey

Huynh Thanh Tung won the first stage of the Return to the Country – An Giang Plant Protection Cup on Friday.

Tung from Military Zone 7 clocked a top speed of 39.116kmh during the 30km race around Long Xuyen City, which he completed in 46 minutes and one second.

Ly Quoc Viet of Long Xuyen and Mai Van Dung of Chau Phu finished second and third, respectively.

Tung also took the green jersey for best sprinter with 31 points.

Today, cyclists will continue on the 59km second stage and 40km third stage.

The seven-day event, which attracted 80 athletes from 17 teams including one from Cambodia, will finish on May 17.

Cyclists will pedal a total distance of 635km through eight provinces and cities.

Cuong earns gold medal

Nguyen Trong Cuong won the first gold medal for Viet Nam team at the Asian Taekwondo Championships in HCM City on Friday.
In the men's 87kg category, Cuong was fortunate to receive byes to the final after two opponents withdrew from the tournament. He defeated Baykuziyev Jasur of Uzbekistan 5-4 in extra time to take the gold medal.

On Wednesday, Nguyen Thanh Thao won a bronze medal in the women's 62kg event. She defeated Manalo Mariacami from the Philippines 5-2 to reach the semi-finals, but lost easily 1-13 to Chia Chia Chuang from Chinese Taipei, earning Viet Nam's only medal on the second day of the tournament.

Domesco extends sponsorship

Domesco Medical Import Export JSC has extended its sponsorship contract with the Dong Thap cycling team for the period 2012-13.

The total investment is worth VND2.5 billion (US$119,500).

The company also awarded Dong Thap VND80 million ($3,800) for winning the team competition at the HCM City Television Cycling Cup which wrapped up on April 30.

Liem defeated by Chinese player

Vietnamese chess player Le Quang Liem lost to his Chinese rival Ni Hua at the eighth round of the Asian Chess Championships in Ho Chi Minh City on May 12.

The Chinese player, with an Elo rating of 2673, played with a consistent strategy which the Vietnamese player found it difficult to compete with.

With this loss, Liem missed his chance to enter the top list of the tournament.

Negi Parimarjan from India (Elo 2640) still secures a top place with 7 points after defeating Barbosa Oliver from the Philippines (Elo 2550).

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News