Le Nguyet Minh earned his sixth win on Sunday, after finishing first in the 23rd stage of the HCM City Television Cycling Tournament.

Riding for Minh Giang-HCM City, he finished the 190km stage from Thu Dau Mot City of Binh Duong Province to Cao Lanh City of Dong Thap Province in a time of 4hr 58.58min.

Minh remained in front as leader in the race and was awarded the green jersey for the best cyclists.

Nguyen Thanh Tam of Gao Hat Ngoc Troi An Giang came in second and strengthened his top position in the overall ranking.

Nguyen Tan Hoai from Domesco Dong Thap placed in third.

In the team’s ranking, Gao Hat Ngoc Troi An Giang were on top, followed by VUS-HCM and Military Zone 7.

Competitors will have a day off today. The 24th stage will follow the 93km route from Dong Thap to Can Tho tomorrow.

World winners lose at Vovinam champs

Even world champions could be losers at the National Top Vovinam Club Championship, which closed on Sunday in Dong Nai Province.

Truong Van Tuan of Thanh Hoa defeated world and national reigning champion Pham Truong Sa of Binh Duong in the men’s 68kg category.

Earlier, world champion Le Thi Hien of Thanh Hoa lost to Vo Thi Hang of Nghe An in the women’s 60kg class.

Meanwhile, national champion Lam Thi Thuy Tuyen of the hosts could not defeat Nguyen Thi Huynh Như from Ben Tre in the women’s 54kg pool.

After 10 days of competitions, HCM City topped the ranking with 14 gold, two silvers and four bronze medals.

Can Tho came in second with seven titles and Thanh Hoa was at third with five.

The tournament attracted more than 400 athletes from 32 teams. They competed to win 48 sets of medals in 22 weight categories in combat, and 22 events in performance.

Thanh Hoa draw with Can Tho at home

FLC Thanh Hoa drew 1-1 at home yesterday with lower-ranked Can Tho, in an early match of the sixth round of the V. League.

The hosts controlled most of the first half and gave the Can Tho players no opportunities to score. They also created several attacks, including a shot by Vu Minh Tuan on the second minute that nearly beat goalkeeper To Vinh Loi.

Hoang Dinh Tung also tested Loi’s ability with a powerful header around 10 minutes later, but Loi saved well.

Midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang and Pepe Omar also had later opportunities, but none of their attempts were converted into goals.

Only minutes after the interval, the hosts were given a penalty after midfielder Le Dức Loc illegally tackled Tung in the box. Omar easily scored with a straight and low finish.

Thanh Hoa continued dominating the game, but like the first half, they could not break Can Tho’s defence and beat Loi.

However, Can Tho scored their equaliser in the 76th minute, when Nguyen Tang Tuan stole the ball and scored from close range.

In another match, two former league winners, Song Lam Nghe An and Becamex Binh Duong, ended their match goalless at the Vinh Stadium.

Masan’s White Lion beer backs Nat’l Cup

Tran Anh Tu, VPF general director, exchanges contract of sponsorship with Truong Cong Thang of Masan Consumer Holdings, yesterday in Ha Noi. 

Masan Consumer Holdings become the National Cup’s key sponsor after a signing ceremony with the Viet Nam Professional Football Company (VPF) yesterday in Ha Noi.

The value of the one-year deal was not revealed but an open clause allows the two sides to extend their relationship.

The tournament, now called the White Lion National Cup, kicked off on April 8 with the qualification round. The second round is scheduled on April 28 with the participation of 16 teams, competing in the knockout stage.

From the quarter-finals, they will play in the two-leg match format.

Following the sponsorship, the tournament winner will walk away with a trophy and a purse of VND1 billion (US$45,000).

They will be Viet Nam’s representative at the Asian Football Confederation Cup.

Through its subsidiaries, Masan Consumer Holdings  produces and distributes packaged food and beverage products. Its products include soya sauce, fish sauce, chili sauce, instant noodles, instant congee, instant coffee, instant cereals and bottled beverages. White Lion is a brand name of a local beer.

Nam enters VTF Pro Tour final

Ly Hoang Nam beat national champion Pham Minh Tuan in the semi-final of the Viet Nam Tennis Federation (VTF) Pro Tour yesterday in Tay Ninh Province.

Nam, a top-ranked national player, won one break point in each set to win 6-4, 6-4 over his rival from Da Nang.

A former Wimbledon boys’ doubles winner, Nam will face Trinh Linh Giang in an all-Becamex Binh Duong gold match today.

Giang had defeated former national champion Do Minh Quan from HCM City 6-3, 6-1 in the first semi-final match.

The women’s singles final will see a clash between Savanna Ly Nguyen of the Military and HCM City’s Sy Boi Ngoc.

In the men’s doubles category, Quan and Le Quoc Khanh beat Huynh CHi Khuong and Tran Thanh Hoang of the Military 6-3, 6-4 to take home the title.

The women’s doubles gold went to Savanna and Nguyen Tu Kim Ngan, who trounced Dặng Thi Hanh and Hoang Thi Ha from Hai Duong 6-0, 6-0.

Tri says goodbye to HCM City Cycling event

Tran Nguyen Minh Tri of Domesco Phamarcy Dong Thap is out of the HCM City Television Cycling Tournament due to injury, the event’s organising board announced on Friday.

Tri broke his collar-bone near the finish line of the 21st stage, a 98km race from Da Lat to Bao Loc City.

He is the fourth cyclist to leave the tournament due to injury. Earlier, Nguyen Thang, Nguyen Minh Luan and Le Van Duan also had to pull out of the event.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Tan Hoai of Domesco Pharmacy Dong Thap defeated Nguyen Thanh Tam of Gao Hat Ngoc Troi An Giang in the last few metres to win the stage with a time of 2:09.38.

Although Tam was the runner-up, he still kept the yellow jersey for the best overall time after 21stages with 51:11.61.

Green jersey holder Le Nguyet Minh of HCM City, Minh Giang also fell near the finish line but he still kept this award as the best sprinter with 225 points.

Today, cyclists will compete in the 22nd stage from Bao Loc to Binh Duong City which covers 156km.

The HCM City Television Cycling Tournament is one of the most prestigious competitions in the country. This year’s event breaks the record for the longest tour, with 30 stages covering a whopping 3,267km.

Binh Dien enter semi-final of national volleyball event

VTV Binh Dien Long An have qualified for the semi-final of the National Volleyball Championships to be held in the gymnasium of northern Hai Duong province.

Long An easily beat Dức Giang Ha Noi 25-15, 25-18, 25-10 in their third match on April 19 to top women’s Group B.

Earlier, they beat Vietinbank and Vinh Long Television.

On the men’s side, Ha Tinh lost to HCM City 2-3 (25-22, 10-25, 25-21, 24-26, 13-15).

In other matches, Hai Duong were defeated by Mikado ThaiBinh 0-3 (13-25, 13-25, 16-25); Vinh Long lost to Kingphar QuangNinh 0-3 (16-25, 22-25, 27-29); Dak Lak also lost to Tien Nong Thanh Hoa 1-3 (21-25, 25-17, 16-25, 15-25) while Long An crushed Military Zone 4 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-20).

Ten male and 10 female teams are fighting for a total prize money of VND432 million (US$18,780). The best players will be selected for the national team to play in international matches.

VNS/VNA/VNN