Expecting breakthroughs in the new year.

Đảng Cộng Sản•12/02/2024

According to the report of the Department of Physical Education and Sports , in the 2023 international competition results, Vietnamese sports won 1,429 international medals (including 571 gold, 404 silver, and 454 bronze). Notably, the Vietnamese sports delegation performed excellently, exceeding the set target and for the first time winning first place overall at a SEA Games held abroad, with a total of 136 gold, 105 silver, and 118 bronze medals, breaking 12 records and setting 4 new SEA Games records; and winning the gold medal in the Southeast Asian U23 men's football tournament for the second consecutive time.

Another highlight of 2023 worth mentioning is the Vietnamese women's national football team's first-ever participation in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. This is a commendable step forward for Vietnamese women's football. Although they couldn't advance beyond the qualifying rounds due to various reasons, Vietnam's "golden girls" gave their all, showcasing the image of their country, its people, and the spirit of true sportsmanship to the world . The Vietnamese flag appeared for the first time, and the Vietnamese national anthem was played for the first time at the 2023 World Cup, bringing immense pride to millions of fans back home.

At the 19th Asian Games (ASIAD 19) held in Hangzhou, China, the Vietnamese sports delegation achieved its target with 3 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 19 bronze medals, ranking 21st out of 45 participating countries and territories. As of February 2024, Vietnamese sports only have 3 official slots to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics (France): cycling (Nguyen Thi That), shooting (Trinh Thu Vinh), and swimming (Nguyen Huy Hoang).

However, overall, Vietnamese sports failed to achieve its biggest goals in 2023, including performance at the 19th Asian Games and the number of Olympic qualification spots. This inadvertently creates considerable pressure and burden on athletes in 2024, as they must aim for the world stage after two consecutive years of enjoying the fruits of their resounding victories at the SEA Games.

Entering 2024 with the biggest challenge being the Paris Olympics, this is the arena that truly establishes the standing of each sports nation. Winning medals is an extremely difficult goal, even for developed sports nations. Vietnamese sports aim to strive for many Olympic participation slots, maximizing the chances of competing for medals at the Games. According to the Department of Physical Education and Sports, for the Paris Olympics, Vietnamese sports aim for 12-15 participation slots in the following sports: Athletics, swimming, shooting, weightlifting, taekwondo, gymnastics, rowing, cycling, badminton, judo, archery, and boxing.

The 2024 Paris Olympics will take place in France from July 26th to August 11th, meaning there are only six months left until the opening ceremony. With only three athletes currently qualifying for the Paris Olympics, Vietnam's chances are very slim. To achieve the set goal, the High-Performance Sports Departments 1 and 2 and the federations have reviewed the athletes' capabilities and expertise. From now until June 2024, it is hoped that Vietnam will secure more Olympic qualification spots in 12 key sports. Besides swimming, shooting, and cycling, other sports such as athletics, taekwondo, boxing, badminton, gymnastics, weightlifting, fencing, archery, and rowing still have a chance to compete.

However, preparations for the Olympics are facing some difficulties as this is the crucial period for athletes to complete all professional preparations, and some key athletes have suffered injuries and are undergoing intensive treatment. Even strong disciplines like athletics for Vietnam are currently facing many obstacles. The Olympics will select the 16 strongest teams in the world, while Vietnam is currently ranked 19th. Among the athletes in this running group, Nguyen Thi Huyen has just requested to withdraw.

In the current situation, Vietnam could see more Olympic qualification spots in the near future. In weightlifting, Trinh Van Vinh is currently in the top 10 of the world rankings. He needs to accumulate more points to secure a ticket to the Olympics. This is well within the reach of the weightlifter born in 1995.

In addition, swimming is also planning for swimmer Huy Hoang to secure another official Olympic spot. In boxing, Nguyen Thi Tam, Ha Thi Linh, and Luu Diem Quynh will strive to compete for Olympic qualification. For shooting, besides Trinh Thu Vinh, the expert in this sport affirms that there will be another qualifying spot, and they are focusing intensely on competing for an Olympic medal.

Meanwhile, taekwondo will have its Asian regional qualifiers in March 2024. Key athletes such as Kim Tuyen, Anh Tuyet, Bac Thi Khiem, and Ly Hong Phuc will participate to compete for a spot. In badminton, Nguyen Thuy Linh has a great chance to participate in the Olympics, and the two male players, Duc Phat and Hai Dang, are also expected to perform well. Gymnastics has four promising athletes: Nguyen Van Khanh Phong, Dang Ngoc Xuan Thien, Trinh Hai Khang, and Van Vi Luong.

Archery still has one more World Cup Final tournament to be held in Türkiye in June 2024. In addition, rowing has its Asian regional qualifiers taking place in April in South Korea.

To achieve the goals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Department of Sports and Physical Education requires all sports and coaching staff to thoroughly understand the regulations, identify suitable tournaments, and develop participation plans based on accurate assessments of competitors, maximizing the chances of key athletes securing Olympic qualification. Specifically, the sports sector needs to focus on reviewing the working staff of each national team's coaching staff and identifying experts to assess the capabilities of the best athletes in order to invest in a streamlined and efficient manner.

Furthermore, resources need to be allocated to ensure the necessary conditions for implementing the plans. Based on the available resources, focus should be placed on key tasks, paying attention not only to funding and training/competition equipment but also to human resources such as doctors, psychologists, and rehabilitation staff for key athletes.

High-performance sports in Vietnam need adjustments to meet changing realities and help athletes improve their competitiveness. According to the Department of Physical Education and Sports, the proposed solutions include: building a high-performance sports force through athlete selection and identification; determining athlete training methods; identifying training locations; developing staff and coaches; and defining specialized solutions for each sport. Next are solutions to improve the capacity of training facilities; solutions for applying science and technology, providing medical care, recovery, and nutrition for athletes; solutions for socializing high-performance sports; and ensuring financial resources…/.

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