Viet Nam drawn in tough group for SEA Games basketball

The national basketball team will compete at the 26th Southeast Asian Games as part of Group A alongside defending champions the Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia.

Group B will in turn consist of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Myanmar.

Viet Nam is set to take part in the men's division discipline for the very first time.

At the drawing ceremony, Dato Yeoh Choo Hock, general secretary of the International Basketball Federation in Asia, praised the country's representation at the SEA Games as a means of regional sporting integration.

Nike inks sponsorship deal with national tennis team

Nike has signed a sponsorship contract with the national tennis team ahead of the 26th Southeast Asian Games, according to the Viet Nam Tennis Federation (VTF).

As part of the deal, each athlete will be fitted out with top quality sporting gear.

"The high-tech clothes will assist our athletes play to their best abilities," said Nguyen Quoc Ky, deputy chairman of the VTF.

Nike will continue sponsoring the team at international events during the course of next year.

Viet Nam will send eight tennis players and two coaches to the Games with eyes fixed on a bronze medal in the women's team event.

Local reporters prepare to cover upcoming Games

Around 180 Vietnamese reporters will head to Indonesia to report on the upcoming 26th Southeast Asian Games.

According to the event organising board, there will be nearly 3,000 reporters working at the Games, alongside assistance from the international broadcasting centre in Jakarta and Palembang.

Participants from 11 regional countries will compete in 44 sporting events for 542 sets of medals until November 22.

National Tarung Derajat team eye gold at SEA Games

Viet Nam aim to win at least one gold medal in the Tarung Derajat martial arts event at the upcoming 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia.

At the recent pre-SEA Games Tarung Derajat Tournament held in Jakarta, the country took home one silver medal.

So far, nine countries have officially registered to compete in the event including host Indonesia, Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, East Timor, Brunei, the Philippines and Myanmar.

This will be the first time that the Tarung Derajat event takes place at the Games.

The event comprises stand-up and full-contact Indonesian martial arts, developed by Haji Achmad Drajat based on his experience as a street fighter and includes influences from karate and pencak silat. It also emphasises punching, kicking, grappling and sweeping methods among others.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News