SEA Games 31: Vietnamese athletics ready to defend reign at regional event

Vietnamese athletes have set a goal of winning 16-18 gold medals to defend the country's first place in the track and field events at the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Nguyen Thi Oanh (centre), who won triple gold at the 30th SEA Games, is expected to bring the first gold medal home for the national track and field team at the women's 1,500m final, which will take place on May 14. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam will send a powerful team of 25 experts, coaches and 80 athletes to compete in the tournament's event.

The Vietnam Athletics Federation predicts the top gold medal chances are in the women’s 400m (Quach Thi Lan and Nguyen Thi Huyen); the women's 800m (Khuat Phuong Anh); and the men’s 3,000m steeplechase (Do Quoc Luat and Nguyen Trung Cuong).

If these athletes stay fit and healthy, they will win gold medals, it said.

Among those registered for the national track and field team at the tournament, there are outstanding athletes, including Nguyen Thi Oanh, who won triple gold at the 30th SEA Games in the women’s 1,500m, 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase.

Oanh is expected to bring the first gold medal home for the national track and field team at the women's 1,500m final, which will take place on May 14.

Athletes who have the potential to make a breakthrough include Nguyen Thanh Ngung and Vo Xuan Vinh in the men's 20km walk and men's 4x400m relay; Nguyen Van Lai in the men’s 5,000m, Hoang Nguyen Thanh in the men's marathon.

However, the professional level of athletes from Thailand and the Philippines is on the rise, making it harder for Vietnamese athletes to compete with them. 400m champion Tran Nhat Hoang will face fierce competition from Phitchaya Sunthonthuam of Thailand, and Trenten Anthony Beram of the Philippines. The most recent record of Beram is 46.01 sec and Phitchaya Sunthonthuam's 46. 46, while Hoang’s personal best is 46.96.

Vietnam dominated the athletics competition in the Philippines two years ago with a collection of 16 gold medals, which was four ahead of powerhouse Thailand and surpassed their SEA Games target by five golds.

The SEA Games 31 will take place in Hanoi and 11 adjacent provinces from May 12 to 23, 2022, offering 526 sets of medals across 40 sports. The track and field competition is set to take place at the Hanoi-based My Dinh National Stadium between May 14 and 19 with 47 sets of medals up for grabs./.

VNA