VietNamNet Bridge – The major contingent of Viet Nam's competitors in the 16th ASIAD, in Guangzhou, China, left yesterday to join the opening of Asia's biggest sports festival today, Nov 12.

They include badminton, billiards and snooker, chess, weightlifting and table tennis and volleyball contestants.

The contestants will join football and shooting teams who arrived before opening ceremony.

Swimmers, judo and wushu martial artists, dancers and separk takraw players will arrive in the city from training abroad.

Viet Nam's 260 competitors will contest 27 of 42 sports and have set themselves the target of at least four gold medals.

The Viet Nam flag was hoisted at the athletes village yesterday. The team, the 36th delegation to arrive for the Games, has registered 150 participants for the ASIAD demonstration at the opening ceremony with volleyball player Ngo Van Kieu carrying the national flag.

Weigh lifter Hoang Anh Tuan is expected to open the medal count for Viet Nam; his 56kg category will start and finish tomorrow.

The weight lifter won a silver medal – a first for Viet Nam – at Beijing Olympics.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News