14TH NATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM

Vietnamese swimmers “sweat” for SEA Games 31 gold medals

Jenna Duong - Khanh Huy

May 05, 2022 / 09:48 PM

In the days leading up to SEA Games 31, athletes from the Vietnam swimming and diving teams are training hard in preparation for the biggest sporting event in the region.

The athletes are doing the strengthening exercises in preparation for important competitions of SEA Games 31 at My Dinh Water Sports Center in Hanoi.

The swimming competition will take place from May 14 to 19.

1. The Vietnamese swimming team features 40 members, including 31 athletes.

Male swimmers including Huy Hoang, Hung Nguyen and Thanh Bao are expected to take high positions in swimming competitions at the 31st SEA Games, according to coach Phan Quang Minh Quan.

The excellent swimmers of the Vietnamese team finished their training in Hungary on April 23.

swimming team.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese diving team consists of 12 members, including three coaches and nine athletes.

Diving’s eight events are scheduled for May 6-11 at My Dinh Water Sports Center. Diving and handball are the only two sports whose competitions will commence and finish before the opening ceremony of the SEA Games, set to be held on May 12.

With less than a month to prepare, Vietnam’s diving team has set itself a modest target: to make no mistakes at the 31st SEA Games, according to Truong Anh Tai, head coach of the diving team.

His medal hopefuls include Nguyen Tung Duong, who finished fourth in men’s three-meter springboard at the 2019 SEA Games, and Ngo Phuong Mai (right in the photo), the bronze medal winner in women’s three-meter springboard at the same event.

However, Mai has not honed her skills through overseas training or international competitions in the last two years due to Covid-19.

Despite being the host of the 31st SEA Games, Vietnam is considered a weak side in regional diving, while Malaysia is the top contender for gold medals this year.