May 06, 2022 / 15:01

Sepak Takraw - the “golden hope” for Vietnam sport

The Vietnamese Sepak Takraw players are expected to win the gold medal at the 31st SEA Games.

Sepak Takraw is considered one of the spearhead sports of the Vietnam SEA Games delegation, with many medal winners at SEA Games and Asiad. In the days leading up to SEA Games 31, athletes from Vietnam Sepak Takraw are training hard to get in shape for the event.

Twelve male and 12 female players will compete in four men’s and four women’s events, eyeing at least one gold medal in the female category at SEA Games 31.

The male players are actively doing exercises at the venue to familiarize themselves with the terrain. They are expected to achieve high results at SEA Games 31 in the team category.

There will be about 150 athletes from eight nations including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines competing in Sepak Takraw, of them, the Thai team is said to be the strongest opponent.

The male team’s head coach, Hoang Duc Luong, said that due to Covid-19 impacts, the young Vietnamese athletes could not participate in any international competitions prior to SEA Games.

The male squad consists of Dau Van Hoang, Nguyen Hoang Lan, and Nguyen Manh Tuan, who won the bronze medal at the Asian Games. However, they have little chance to be crowned as their rivals from Malaysia, Myanmar, and Indonesia are mighty opponents.

SEA Games 31 is the first international competition opportunity for the female team, and their determination is high for a gold medal.

The Vietnamese female Sepak Takraw team usually occupies high positions at continental sporting events such as ASIAD 2006, and Asian Beach Games 2016, among others.

According to the female team’s head coach Tran Thi Vui, Vietnamese female Sepak Takraw athletes are strong at attacking, with veteran members showing great experience and enthusiasm and young athletes having good physique and technique.