VN wins gold at Special Olympics

Viet Nam's Pham Ai Nhan has won a gold medal at the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games, which closed in Australia on Saturday.

Nhan, a victim of Downs Syndrome, successfully topped the womens singles bocce, Division F.02.

Later, Nhan paired with Nguyen Bao Huy in the mixed doubles Division M.04 to win a bronze medal.

Some 2,000 Special Olympics athletes, 600 coaches and officials, over 4,000 volunteers and an estimated 200,000 spectators from over 32 countries in the Asia Pacific region converged on Newcastle City for the first-ever Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games from December 1-7.

Viet Nam's delegation was represented by four athletes competing in bocce and athletics.

Hanoi sports festival kicks off

The eighth Hanoi Sports Festival officially opened yesterday at the Indoor Athletics Palace with the participation of than 4,500 athletes, artists and others.

The opening ceremony, under the theme ‘Healthy to build and protect the country’, was also attended by Politburo member and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee

Pham Quang Nghi and Chairwoman of the municipal People's Council Ngo Thi Doan Thanh.

This year’s festival has drawn the participation of 8,600 athletes from 29 districts and towns and 82 schools in the city, who are to compete in 28 events.

In 2013, all 577 communes, wards and towns in every one of the city’s districts held successful local sports festivals, attracting more than 800,000 athletes and residents.

The festivals have contributed to the mass movement promoting physical exercise among people from all walks of life. It also offers an opportunity for coaches to select the

best athletes to participate in the seventh National Sports Festival in 2014.

The 2013 Hanoi Sports Festival runs through December 25.