Liem pulls out of Asian chess event

Chess Grandmaster Le Quang Liem won't be joining the Vietnamese team to compete at the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Zone 3-Asian Chess Championships in the Philippines from January 21-30.

Instead he will participate at the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival in the UK from January 22-31.

Le Quang Liem. (Photo: Internet)

"I really want to play in the Asian event to secure a place in the World Cup but I also received an invitation from the UK event so I had to choose one. I decided to compete in the UK because the event will attract the world's leading players. It is a chance for me to hone my skills and gain experience," said two-time Aeroflot Open champion Liem.

Without Liem, the Vietnamese team will include two GMs Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son and Dao Thien Hai, two International Masters Nguyen Van Huy and Nguyen Duc Hoa, and three female GMs Pham Le Thao Nguyen, Hoang Bao Tram and Nguyen Thi Mai Hung.

Dong Luc inks a $200,000 deal with VPF

The sporting goods manufacturer Dong Luc Group will provide 4,000 balls for the National Football Championship, V-League and the National Cup this year following a VND4.2 billion (US$200,000) deal with the Viet Nam Professional Football (VPF) joint stock company, said the group's head of marketing, Thanh Tra.

"We have agreed to provide official balls for matches of the two major tournaments – the V-League and National Cup – and teams for training," Tra said.

Last year, the group also sponsored outfits for Vietnamese athletes competing in the 2012 London Olympics.

This is the sixth year in a row that the group's football products have been approved by the world football governing body FIFA.

The national leagues will kick off their season in March.

Thien to train in Taipei

Vietnamese tennis player Nguyen Hoang Thien will start a long-term training course with Integration Sports in Taipei tomorrow.

"Integration Sports will cover the costs of training, accommodation, facilities and healthcare. Our family will only pay for Thien's food," said Thien's father, Nguyen Ngoc Minh.

The 18-year-old will train in Taipei this year with time out for his international competition timetable.

Integration Sports has trained famous players such as former world No 33 Yen Hsun Lu, and has hosted superstars such as Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, and Marat Safin for exhibition games and events over the past two years.

Viet Nam win three kickboxing golds

Viet Nam won three gold medals at the Asian Kickboxing Championships, which wrapped up in Pune, India on December 31.

The winners were Hanoian Bui Yen Ly in the women's U45 weight category, An Giang's Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung in the women's U54kg and An Giang's Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai in the women's U51kg.

Viet Nam also won two more silvers and three bronzes to rank seventh out of 12 teams, behind Kazakhstan (nine golds), Kyrgyztan (seven golds), Uzbekistan (six golds), Iraq (five golds), Iran (four golds) and Jordan (four golds).

Nam beats Mexican rival in tennis clash

Viet Nam's top junior tennis player Ly Hoang Nam beat Mexico's Ortiz Adrian in the second round of the Copa del Cafe yesterday morning, Jan 2.

Nam, the world junior No 276, defeated Adrian, world No 416, 6-4,6-2 to move into the next round where he will meet Arconada Jord of Argentina.

Fifteen-year-old Nam caused a shock on Tuesday by defeating world junior No 113 Daniel Kerznerman of the US 6-2, 6-1 in the first round.

Source: VNS