Vietnam to host Asian futsal champs

The Asian Football Confederation has selected Viet Nam to host the Asian Futsal (indoor football) Championships in 2014.

The tournament will see 14 teams competing from April 30-May 11 at the Phu Tho and Ton Duc Thang College gymnasium in HCM City.

Viet Nam overcame Thailand and Iran to be the host for the second time. The first time was in 2005.

At present, seven teams have qualified for the tournament, including defending champions Japan. Viet Nam qualify automatically as the host.

Vietnam succeed at Southeast Asian shooting event

Vietnam sealed a big victory at the Southeast Asian Shooting Association Championships 2013 (SEASA), which wrapped up in Malaysia on November 13.

The Vietnamese marksmen proved their skill in the regional tournament with eight gold medals to take the second place overall.

The tournament was the final warm-up for regional shooters in preparation for the 27th Southeast Asian Games (SEAGames).

Vietnamese athletes will next step into an intensive training course to defend their titles at the Games in Myanmar this December.

Ha Anh advances in Malaysian Challenge

Badminton player Le Ha Anh is the only Vietnamese still in the Maybank International Challenge's men's singles event in Kuching, Malaysia.

Anh yesterday defeated No 11 Jiann Shiarng Chiang from the host team 16-21, 21-10, 21-18 in the second round match. He will next play Indonesian Ivanudin Rifan Fauzin.

Earlier Dao Manh Thang/Pham Nhu Thao beat Po Jui Huang/Chen-Ping Wei from Chinese Taipei 18-21, 21-12, 21-13 in the mixed doubles.

No 2 seed Duong Bao Duc/Nguyen Hoang Nam won 21-16, 21-19 over Malaysian Chee Tean Tan/Shevon Jemie Lai in the men's doubles.

And Le Thu Huyen/Pham Nhu Thao defeated team mates Le Ha Trang/ Nguyen Thi Mai Anh 21-14, 21-12 in the women's doubles.

In other badminton news, Viet Nam No 1 Nguyen Tien Minh suffered a shock defeat to Houwei Tian in the first round of the Victor China Open yesterday.

The world No 7 and tournament No 6 exit after losing 21-19, 16-21, 14-21 to the unseeded player of the host in nearly 80 minutes.

Tian in April trounced world No 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia at the semi-final of the YONEX Australian Open.