Martial artists take to the road

Three Vietnamese coaches will visit Laos today. They will remain in the country until the end of the year and will coach in Malaysia to later this month.

Vovinam, which was created in 1938, is performed with or without weapons. It is based on the principle of harmony between hard and soft.

Muay Thai boxers ready for action

Nine Vietnamese martial artists will compete at the World Muay Thai Championships in Ayutthaya, Thailand, from next Friday.

Chief coach Giap Trung Thang said the third Asian Indoor Games gold medallist, Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat from HCM City, would be competing in the men's 57kg category, while Southeast Asian Games Games silver medallist Phan Thi Ngoc Linh of HCM City would take part in the women's 54kg division.

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

GM Liem moves up world rankings

International Grand Master Le Quang Liem has moved up 35 places from 79th to 44th in the world rankings, according to the World Chess Federation.

The HCM City-born grand master has also gone from 4th to 3rd in the world's youth rankings. His Elo rating has risen from 2,664 to 2,689. Liem, 20, successfully defended his crown at the Russian International Chess Festival-Aeroflot Open in Moscow recently.

Meanwhile, in the women's rankings, Nguyen Thi Mai Hung from Bac Giang is now in 18th place in the world youth chess players, with an Elo rating of 2,320.

Bao, Huong win Chinese chess champs

Nguyen Thanh Bao and Ngo Lan Huong won the National First Class Chinese Chess Championship, which wrapped up in HCM City's Phu Tho Gymnasium on Sunday.

Hanoian Bao played outstandingly to defeat Nguyen Hoang Lam of HCM City in the men's final while HCM City's Huong crushed teammate Nguyen Hoang Yen to earn the women's crown.

Those winning top laurels will be picked to represent Viet Nam in the world championship in Indonesia in September.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News