The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has officially approved the establishment of Vietnam’s sports delegation for the Asian Games in Japan this September.

The 498-member delegation includes 348 athletes competing in athletics, swimming, weightlifting, shooting, rowing, canoeing, sepak takraw, karate, gymnastics, taekwondo, archery, boxing, wrestling, cycling, wushu, kurash, jujitsu, men’s and women’s indoor volleyball, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, men’s and women’s football, judo, golf, handball, badminton, fencing, sailing, teqball, esports, breaking and mixed martial arts (MMA).

Nguyen Hong Minh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration, will serve as head of the delegation, while Hoang Quoc Vinh, head of the High Performance Sports Division, will be deputy head.

Of the 498 members attending the Asian Games, expenses for 343 will be covered by the Vietnam Sports Administration, including airfares, meals, accommodation, daily allowances, communications, visas, passports and transportation. The remaining members will attend the Games with funding provided by local authorities or through other sources of social funding.

Asiad 20 will feature 43 official sports and a total of 469 medal events. Vietnam is targeting four to six gold medals and a place among the top 20 in the overall medal standings. At Asiad 19 in Hangzhou, China, Vietnam won three gold, five silver and 19 bronze medals, finishing 21st overall.

Asiad 20 will take place in Aichi and Nagoya from September 19 to October 4. A send-off ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation is scheduled to be held in Hanoi on September 9.

Dai Nam