As many as 45 fencers will represent Vietnam to battle in all competition categories at the sixth Asian U23 Championships 2017, scheduled to take place in Hanoi between October 26 and 31.

Vu Thanh An is one of the best Vietnamese fencers at the moment. 

The information was announced by the Vietnam Fencing Federation at a press briefing in the capital city on October 23.

The six-day tournament will see the participation of almost 250 competitors, including 139 males and 108 females, from 21 countries and territories across Asia, including Vietnam, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Republic of Korea, Kirgizstan, Macau (China), Japan, Iraq, Syria, Hong Kong (China), Singapore, Kazakhstan, India, the Philippines and Thailand, among others.

The fencers will vie for medals in six individual and six team events, in the three categories of foil, epee and sabre.

The championship provides a good platform for young Vietnamese athletes to accumulate competition experience and hone their skills in preparation for future international competitions.

The tournament will be open free of charge for the public. Through the event, the organising committee, together with the trainers and athletes, also wish to advertise a beautiful and vibrant Vietnam with civilised, elegant, peace-loving and hospitable people to international friends.

According to Phung Le Quang, head of the Fencing Department under the Vietnam General Department of Sports and Physical Training, the fencing movement in Vietnam has registered encouraging progress in recent years, with the Vietnamese athletes’ performance at regional and international tournaments improving continuously.

Four Vietnamese fencers booked tickets to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil; and at the recent 29th Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia, Vietnam’s fencing team won a total of three gold and three bronze medals, exceeding the target set prior to the Games.

Nhan Dan