Huu Viet takes silver at swimming champs

The Army's swimmer Nguyen Tien Hung won gold.

It was the first time ever in the five recent years, Viet had finished in second place in a domestic swimming event.

Olympian Viet also withdrew from the 50m breaststroke on Tuesday because of injury.

On the same day, teenager Tran Thi Kim Tuyen of HCM City brought home four gold medals in the women's 200m backstroke, 200m medley, 400m freestyle and 4x100m medley to help her team lead the medals table with 11 golds.

On Monday, the 16-year-old girl also won four gold medals.

Athletes, coaches to be honoured

A ceremony to honour the most outstanding athletes and coaches of the year will be held at the Ha Noi Opera House on Sunday.

The event marks the 65th anniversary of Viet Nam Sports Day (March 27).

In a poll in January, hundreds of journalists and sports aficionados cast their votes for the top 15 athletes and coaches of the year.

Sprinter Vu Thi Huong, 25, who won a bronze medal in the women's 100m and a silver in the 200m at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, topped the poll for the second time in a row.

At the ceremony, the national sports administration will present cash-prizes to the winners.

Gold medal winners from the Asian Games will receive VND70 million ($3,600) and Southeast Asian Games gold medallists will pocket VND45 million ($2,300).

VN kickboxers to compete at world championship

Three Vietnamese kickboxers were outstanding in their victories in the qualifying rounds and quarter-finals to qualify for the World Semi-professional Muay Thai Championships semi-finals in Thailand on Tuesday.

They include Asian Indoor Games gold medallist, Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat from HCM City, Southeast Asian Games silver medallist Phan Thi Ngoc Linh of HCM City and kickboxer Van Dai.

Earlier, Vietnamese players won two golds, five silvers and two bronzes at the eight World Amateur Muay Thai Championships in Thailand on Sunday.

At the world amateur event last year, Vietnamese boxers surprised the world by winning three golds and one bronze medal. They finished third out of 45 teams.

Ha Noi T&T win under-19 Kova Paint Football Cup

Ha Noi T&T won the National U-19 Kova Paint Cup Football Championship, after defeating Song Lam Nghe An 7-6 in the final match's penalty shoot-out in Phu Tho Province's Viet Tri stadium on Tuesday.

The winner received a cash prize of VND60 million (US$2,700) while the runners-up took home VND40 million ($1,800). The two third-placed teams including Hoa Phat Ha Noi and Dong Tam Long An received VND25 million ($1,100) each.

The event's best player went to Tran Van Tam of Ha Noi T&T.

Twenty-two teams participated in the qualifying round of the tournament which kicked off on January 5 and lasted until March 3. They were divided into three groups competing on a two match round robin basis to decide eight teams for the knock-out round.

In the knock-out round, the teams played on a home and away basis. The four winners of this round qualified for the semi-finals and the winners went on to the final.

Charity golf tourney to help disadvantaged children

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

The five-year-old tournament has raised VND3 billion (US$140,000) to provide $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 football 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.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News