VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's 57-member squad of disabled athletes will be looking to win at least five golds at the Asian ParaGames in Guangzhou, China, on December 12-19.


Swimmer Vo Huynh Anh Khoa. (Photo: Internet)
Vu The Phiet, the Viet Nam Paralympic Association's vice chairman and general secretary, said at the send-off ceremony on Wednesday he was confident Viet Nam would meet its medals target.


As scheduled, the team will compete in six out of 19 sports – track and field, swimming, table tennis, badminton, weightlifting and judo.


"The Guangzhou ParaGames is a major challenge for us because 3,000 disabled athletes from 40 countries and territories will be competing in a seven-day event. Vietnamese athletes will have to overcome powerhouses from China, Japan and South Korea if they are to take home gold medals," Phiet said.


"We hope our best athletes will win golds in swimming and track and field," he added.


Ngo Anh Tuan, the team coach, said Viet Nam's athletes would face major challenges in the track and field events.

"Vietnamese athletes will face most difficulties on the track, but I hope they will win the sprint event," Tuan said.


Hanoian sprinter Dao Van Cuong, who set a new Asian record in the men's 400m for the visually impaired at the third ParaGames in the Philippines in 2005, said he was targeting three golds at the Asian ParaGames.


"I've a lot of experience in major competitions and I can handle the pressure. I hope for success in my favourite events of 100, 200 and 400m sprint," Cuong said.


The Hanoian became the only disabled athlete in the Southeast Asian region to get into the semi-finals at the Beijing Paralympics in the visual impairment class when he finished the 100m sprint in 54.38sec.


Swimmer Vo Huynh Anh Khoa, who won two golds at previous games, vowed success in Asia's biggest sporting event.

"We'll pull out all stops for glorious victories for Viet Nam. We'll also show the spirit of the Vietnamese people among other competitors," Khoa said.


Other hopes for Viet Nam are ASEAN ParaGames wheelchair champion Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao, weightlifter Dinh Thi Nga and swimmers Vo Thanh Tung and Sa Ry.


At the ceremony, sponsors announced they would give a cash award of VND20 million (US$1,000) to gold medal winners, in addition to the VND25 million ($1,200) award from the Government.


Four years ago, Viet Nam climbed to the top ten of medal-winning nations after bagging nine golds, 27 silvers and 31 bronze medals in Malaysia.


The team will depart for the Games next Thursday.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News