Golf tourney to help children

More than 250 golfers will compete in a charity golf tournament called Swing for the Kids at Hoa Binh's Phuong Hoang course on April 10, the organising committee said yesterday, March 22.

The five-year-old tournament hopes to raise VND3 billion (US$140,000) to provide US$500 scholarships to disadvantaged children and underprivileged students.

Organisers said part of the fund raising effort would be centred on auctioning a jersey worn by English soccer star Michael Owen.

The tournament is sponsored by the Investment Review.

Last year's tournament at Ha Noi's Van Tri golf course drew nearly 200 diplomats and representatives from international organisations in Viet Nam.

Liem makes good start in German Chess League

Le Quang Liem.

Liem, 20, who joined the German club last month, helped his team overcome SC 1950 Remagen 4.5-3.5 in the 12th round of the tournament.

In the 13th round, Liem drew with the Dutch Jan Werle of SG Solingen.

Bremen are second in the German League, just 2 points behind leaders OSG Baden-Baden.

With a monthly fixture list in the German league, the HCM City-based player is free to travel back and forth between Viet Nam and Germany, and compete in different competitions.

The 20 year-old will also play three games for Qingdao Yucai in China's Chess League Division A from April 10-14.

Brazil's Augusto to coach national men's volleyball team

Brazilian Augusto Sabbatini will take over as coach of the men's national team ahead of the 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia this November, according to Tran Duc Phan, general secretary of the Viet Nam Volleyball Federation (VVF).

Phan said the VVF had taken the step to invite a foreign coach following two years of disappointing results.

At the 25th SEA Games in Laos two years ago, the team finished fourth and lost seven matches at the 16th Asian Games last year.

Augusto was head coach of Trinidad&Tobago in 2007 and 2008, and guided the team to third place at the 2008 Caribbean Volleyball Championships in Barbados.

Mercedes-Benz Trophy 2011 tees off in Binh Duong

The first qualifying rounds for the Mercedes-Benz Trophy started on Monday in southern province of Binh Duong's Song Be Golf Resort.

Around 4,000 golfers representing 24 golf clubs throughout Viet Nam have registered for the tournament.

Entrant numbers have increased by a third since last year, which is remarkable considering golf is a relatively new sport in the country. Viet Nam has the third most entries in Asia behind Singapore and Chinese Taipei.

Qualifier events will be spread over 14 golf clubs for the next three months.

The best of each qualifying round will play in two semi-finals, to be held in the North and the South. The top third of the fields will be eligible to enter the Viet Nam Final, from which the seven best players will form the Viet Nam team to compete at the Asian Final in Australia in August 2011.

One of these players could represent Viet Nam in the World Final in Stuttgart, Germany to be held in September.

The MercedesTrophy is a global premium tournament series for amateurs in its 22nd year. More than 58,000 players, in more than 43 countries, tee off annually.

Teenager wins four golds at swimming championships

Teenager Tran Thi Kim Tuyen won four gold medals at the National Short-Course Swimming Championships in Hue on Monday.

Tuyen, 16, of HCM City, triumphed in the women's 50m and 800m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m medley.

On Sunday, she also brought home three golds in women's 100m backstroke, 200m butterfly and 200m freestyle relay.

With Tuyen's contribution, HCM City team lead the medals table with seven golds, six silvers and three bronzes.

Da Nang are second with six golds and two bronzes.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News