National badminton event to kick off in Thai Nguyen

The Yonex-Sunrise National Badminton Championship will be held at Thai Nguyen Province's gymnasium on September 14-18.

Top Vietnamese player Nguyen Tien Minh will join teams from HCM City, Ha Noi, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Hai Phong, the Military team and the Public Security team.

The women's schedule promises exciting games with star players Vu Thi Trang of Bac Giang Province and Phuong Nhi of HCM City competing.

Athletes will battle it out in singles, doubles and mixed doubles events for men and women with a total prize money of US$6,000.

Golfers eye finals berth at VCCI Challenge Series

Hai Phong's Nguyen Van Nghia won the third qualifying round for the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Challenge Series at Hai Duong City's Chi Linh Star Golf and Country Club on Sunday.

Nghia finished with a round of 79, and joined four other players to qualify for the final round of the VCCI Challenge Series.

The third qualifying round, which was presented by the Ha Noi Hotel, saw 140 golfers competing in an 18-hole round in four handicap divisions from 0-16, 16-28, Callaway and the women's 1-28.

The fourth qualifying round of the event will be held at the Song Gia Golf and Country Club in Hai Phong City on September 25.

Minh defeated in Chinese Taipei Open semi-finals

Top Vietnamese badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh was beaten by world number 45 Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk from Thailand in his semi-final match of the Chinese Taipei Open on Saturday.

Coming back from a nine-point deficit in the first set, the Thai player worked hard to equalise and eventually win 21-18. He then dominated the second set, beating his Vietnamese rival 21-12.

Minh, ranked 7th in the world, ended the last year's Chinese Taipei Open at the semi-finals when he lost to Indonesia's Simon Santoso 2-0.

The Olympian will next compete in the Japan Super Series which begins on September 20.

Archers set for national championship in Ha Noi

More than 80 archers will be competing in the National Archery Championship at the Ha Noi-based Sports Centre on Saturday, the Viet Nam Shooting Federation announced yesterday.

Competitors will contest in the men's and women's individual and team events of recurve (one-string bow) and compound (three-string bow).

The championship, which closes on September 22, is a tough contest for all athletes before the Southeast Asian Games kick off in Indonesia this November.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News