Vietnamese chess player crowned Asian queen

Champion Ngo Lan Huong yesterday successfully defended her title at the Asian Xiangqi (Chinese chess) Championships in Sydney, Australia.

The Vietnamese master pocketed all four wins and one loss at the annual tournament.

On the men's side, title favourite of Viet Nam Vo Minh Nhat booked a berth in the semi-final round.

The championships will end tomorrow.

Viet Nam scores first win in U16 qualifier

Viet Nam had a win at the 2014 Asian Football Confederation Under-16 Championships' qualifying round yesterday in Malaysia.

The Vietnamese side defeated Indonesia 2-1 in the first round match of group J, earning three points and ranking second.

Pham Trong Hoa opened the scoring after Viet Nam were awarded a penalty 10 minutes into the clash at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium. They added a second with just eight minutes left to play.

Indonesian substitute Riyanto, who replaced midfielder Habib Arif Fadhilla at the 58th minute, reduced the deficit in the last seconds of the game, but it was too little too late for Indonesia as Viet Nam held on to win.

Earlier, regional powerhouse Japan easily trounced the Philippines 9-0 to top the group.

In the next match, Viet Nam will play Japan while Indonesia face the Philippines tomorrow.

A record-breaking week at the National Athletics Championships

Seven new national records were set during the six-day National Athletics Championships, which officially closed at Ho Chi Minh City’s Thong Nhat Stadium on September 25.

Ho Chi Minh City’s Tran Hue Hoa bagged the gold medal in the women’s triple jump event with a mark of 13.95 metres, and Pham Van Lam from Hanoi took first place in the men’s long jump with a record-setting leap of 7.73 metres.

Male athletes from Nam Dinh set a new record of 1’25’’54 in the men’s 4x200m relay, while female athletes from An Giang dominated the women’s 4x200m relay after finishing the race in a record of 1’36’’25.

Bui Thi Xuan of the Army team won the women’s javelin with a clearance of 50.48 metres, while her teammate Vu Van Huyen took the men’s pole-vault title with a record of 4.90 metres. Another record was set by Vinh Long’s Pham Thi Thanh Truc in the women’s hammer throw, with 47.77 metres.

Hanoi won the team competition with 12 gold, six silver and nine bronze medals. The Army team finished in second place with seven gold, seven silver and four bronze medals, followed by Nam Dinh with four gold, four silver and four bronze.

The annual tournament attracted hundreds of athletes representing 48 cities and provinces across the country who are competing in 50 men’s and 25 women’s events in individual and team categories.

The competition offered a good opportunity to select the outstanding athletes for the national team in preparation for the upcoming 27th SEA Games in Myanmar.