Vietnamese marksmen gather together in Hanoi as they gear up to compete in an online international shooting tournament on August 28.

Marksmen from the Vietnamese national team took part in an international friendly tournament which took place online on August 28 due to the event being unable to be held in person due to the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

In total, five local shooters took on 15 rivals from regional nation such as Thailand, Singapore, and Australia in the 10 metre air pistol event.

The competition saw Vietnamese marksman Bui Quang Huy claim a gold medal, whilst his teammate Phan Xuan Chuyen secured a bronze medal.

A total of 20 marksmen from Thailand, Singapore, Australia, and Vietnam compete in the event held in an online format.

Nguyen Thi Nhung, general secretary of the Vietnam Shooting Federation, said the friendly event will serve to sharpen the skills for Vietnamese athletes as they prepare to compete in the 31st Southeast Asian Games which are scheduled to be held underway in the country next year.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, all domestic and international shooting tournaments have been cancelled, with key local marksmen returning home due to the 2020 Olympic Games being pushed back to 2021. VOV