VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam will send their strongest-ever athletic team to Indonesia's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games with a view to grab 8-10 gold medals in November.
The 38-member team gathers Guangzhou's 16th Asian Games medalists Truong Thanh Hang, Vu Thi Huong and Vu Van Huyen and veterans who have just triumphed at the national championships, including high jumper Nguyen Duy Bang.

According to experts and trainers, the target of 8-10 golds is achievable.

Renowned Huong (women's 100m, 200m) and Hang (women's 800m, 1,500m) will try for two golds each while Huyen and Vu Dinh Cuong will defend their titles in the men's decathlon and 800m events respectively.

Huong, who did not take part in last month's national championship, has totally recovered from her injuries and will defend her titles, said coach Nguyen Dinh Minh.

At this event, Huong is also aiming to reach the Olympic B standard of 11.38sec in the 100m race to pocket a ticket to London next summer.

Her teammate, Hang, who missed her Olympics berth by only 0.16sec in the July Asian championship also expects to complete her dream.

Hang passed the bar of 2:01.30 in Guangzhou and is determined to repeat it this time.

Another hope for Viet Nam is Nguyen Thi Phuong who snatched a women's 3,000m steeplechase bronze at the Asian championships.

It is the first time her event is to be held at the SEA Games so Phuong, who ran 10:14.94, could make history with the first gold medal and a Games inaugural record.

Viet Nam also has a chance for gold in the women's heptathlon with the presence of national champion Duong Thi Viet Anh who will also participate in the high jump event.

Vo Van Hung will take charge in the men's 110m hurdles, Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc in the 10,000m walk and Vu Van Tinh in the men's triple jump.

Veteran Bang, who won gold in the national men's high jump, returns to the national team after years of absence. The Ben Tre athlete is expected to get at least a bronze.

New marathon champion Pham Thi Binh will make a debut this November. After more than six years training, coach Nguyen Tuan Anh believes in the Quang Ngai runner who is targeting the top three, which would be a turning point for Viet Nam in the event.

In the previous SEA Games in Laos, Vietnamese won seven gold medals.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News