Viet Nam has targeted sending two weightlifters to next summer's Olympics in London.
Thach Kim Tuan and Tran Le Quoc Toan in the men's 56kg class and Nguyen Thi Thuy in the women's 53kg category are among the nation's top hopes.

All three will compete in the Asian qualifying zone which will be held from April 23-30 in Pyeongtaek, South Korea.

Toan has made vast improvements in recent tournaments including a bronze medal performance in the 125kg snatch event at the world championship early last month.

He then pocketed Viet Nam's first ever weightlifting gold in the just-finished Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia with a 280kg lift.

Tuan has also showed off his talent in the world junior tournament where he lifted 273kg and later set a 277kg record in September's Asian event.

Both have a history of lifting around 290kg during their training.

"Toan has better form while Tuan is one of Viet Nam's rising stars. We encourage both of them to try their best. If they can pocket a ticket they could lift for a medal in London [based on recent performances]," said coach Huynh Huu Chi.

Toan will go to Bulgaria for intensive training with a foreign expert until the South Korean tournament while Tuan will stay at home under coach Chi at HCM City's Phu Tho Gymnasium.

Thuy, 21, is considered the only woman with a chance to represent Viet Nam in London.

She has received a lot of support from the Ha Noi Sports Department in recent years and pocketed a bronze medal at her SEA Games debut in Indonesia last month.

The Asian qualifying zone is the last opportunity regional competitors have to earn a ticket to the Olympics.

The International Weightlifting Federation said the top seven men and the top six women would qualify for automatic berths.

So far in Asia, China and South Korea have secured 10 tickets, North Korea have secured eight and Thailand have taken seven.

VNS