Vietnamese sports have a chance to win the first medal at ASIAD 19

The Vietnamese sports delegation entered the official competition days of the 2022 Asian Games ( ASIAD 19 ) from today (September 24).

The opening ceremony of ASIAD 19 took place on the evening of September 23. Photo: Linh Hoang

Last night (September 23), the opening ceremony of the 19th ASIAD took place at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium (China), marking the beginning of exciting competitions lasting for 2 weeks (from September 23 to October 8).

This year's Games are attended by 45 Asian countries and territories with over 12,000 athletes. This is also the ASIAD with the largest number of athletes competing in history.

Right after the opening ceremony, today (September 24), the first official competition day of ASIAD 19 will begin.

The medal events in which Vietnamese athletes competed included shooting (women's 10m air rifle), swimming (men's 200m medley, women's 1500m freestyle, men's 100m freestyle, 50m breaststroke), fencing (men's individual sabre), judo, rowing, taekwondo (men's individual, women's individual), gymnastics (men's team) and wushu (women's tai chi, women's tai chi sword).

The number 1 hope on the first official competition day is the Vietnamese rowing team with 2 final events: heavy boat 2 women's double rowing (Pham Thi Thao, Nguyen Thi Giang) and heavy boat 4 women's single rowing (Dinh Thi Hao, Du Thi Bong, Ha Thi Vui, Pham Thi Hue).

The Vietnamese rowing team participated in two final events on the competition day of September 24 of the 19th ASIAD. Photo cut from video

It is worth mentioning that at the ASIAD 5 years ago in Indonesia, the Vietnamese rowing team consisting of 4 girls Luong Thi Thao, Ho Thi Ly, Ta Thanh Huyen and Pham Thi Thao shone, bringing home the first gold medal for the Vietnamese Sports Delegation in the women's lightweight sculls 4-pair rowing event.

Therefore, the expectation for the first ASIAD 19 medals will also come from Vietnamese rowing girls.

In swimming, the men's 200m medley event features two Vietnamese swimmers, Tran Hung Nguyen and Nguyen Quang Thuan. These are all key young athletes of Vietnamese swimming, who have received investment in training in recent times.

Both have made their mark at the SEA Games and youth swimming competitions.

Although the gap between the Southeast Asian and continental arenas (ASIAD) is very large, Hung Nguyen and his teammate Quang Thuan are still expected to make a difference at this year's Games.

Meanwhile, the women's 50m breaststroke event has the participation of the youngest athlete of the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 19th ASIAD, Nguyen Thuy Hien.

Last August, Thuy Hien participated in the 2023 Southeast Asian Youth Swimming Championship and was one of the major contributors to helping the Vietnamese youth swimming team win a total of 41 gold medals at this tournament.

Going into the ASIAD arena, although the hope of passing the qualifying round is very low, the Vietnamese swimming team still has high hopes for the performance of this 14-year-old swimmer.

Nguyen Thuy Huyen at SEA Games 32. Photo: Thanh Xuan

For Vietnamese sports or any other country, every start with a prestigious medal is always very important. This will motivate the sports teams to compete and then compete, trying to achieve the highest results.

Fans are eagerly waiting for the "lucky start" of the Vietnamese sports delegation at this year's ASIAD.

Laodong.vn