Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh signed a decision on May 7 to establish the Vietnam sports delegation competing in the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Singapore from June 5 to 16.

Accordingly, Vietnam will send a contingent of 570 members, led by Tran Duc Phan, deputy director of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training, to the upcoming Games including 392 athletes, 192 trainers and experts, 18 medical workers and other officials.

Seven deputy heads have also been named to enhance connectivity among the departments of sports as the athletes’ village is not available in Singapore this year.

Vietnam aims to win between 56 and 65 gold medals and make the top three in the overall standings of the 28th SEA Games, said Vuong Bich Thang, director of the General Department in an interview with the media.

Vietnamese athletes will compete in 28 of 36 sports in Singapore, with golf, basketball, bowling and artistic swimming funded by non-State sources.

Swimming, athletics, shooting, gymnastics and wushu promise to be ‘gold mines’ for Vietnam at the 28th SEA Games, with swimming events considered to be Vietnam’s best chance to win gold (10 gold medals have been targeted), with its hopes mainly pinned on Nguyen Thi Anh Vien and Hoang Quy Phuoc. Young swimmer Lam Quang Nhat is also determined to defend his 1,500m freestyle gold medal won at the previous Games in Myanmar two years ago.

A send-off will be held for the Vietnam sports delegation ahead of their departure for Singapore at the National Sports Training Centre in Hanoi on May 19 – coinciding with the birthday of President Ho Chi Minh.

Nhan Dan