This is a very encouraging result, the basis for the sport managers to confidently set high goals at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33) at the end of this year, and further at the 20th Asian Games (ASIAD 20) in 2026.
Impressive results
At the series of tournaments including the Youth Canoeing Championship, the Asian U23 Championship and the Southeast Asian Championship taking place from June 9 to 15 in Thailand, the Vietnamese canoeing team won 10 gold medals, 3 silver medals and 6 bronze medals. Previously, at the Asian Canoe Racing Championship held in Uzbekistan, Vietnam won 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 2 bronze medals.
According to Ms. Duong Hong Hanh, Head of Rowing (Vietnam Sports Administration - Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ), at the three international tournaments mentioned above, key athletes all won the championship. Notable among them were Truong Thi Phuong (C1 women's 200m), Nguyen Thi Huong (C1 women's 500m) and the duo Truong Thi Phuong - Nguyen Thi Huong (C2 women's 500m). These achievements continue to affirm the position of Vietnamese female rowers in the leading group of the continent, significantly shortening the gap with canoeing powerhouses such as China, Japan and Uzbekistan.
In particular, in the women's quad boat event, young athletes Hoang Thi Huong, Bui Mai Hanh, Hoang Thi Lam, Nguyen Thi Mai brought home a historic silver medal for Vietnamese canoeing at the Asian U23 Championship. Other young athletes such as: Diep Thi Huong, Nguyen Hong Thai, Ma Thi Thuy, Phung Ngoc Diem, Mac Thi Thanh Thuy, Ma Thi Dieu Ngoc, Tran Thi Quynh... also showed very impressive performance.
“Vietnamese rowers have shown their mettle when facing strong opponents in the region such as Thailand, Indonesia… Competing in three major tournaments in the same week but still maintaining their peak performance shows careful preparation in terms of expertise, physical strength and competitive spirit,” Ms. Duong Hong Hanh affirmed.
Director of the Department of International Cooperation (Vietnam Sports Administration), General Secretary of the Vietnam Rowing Federation Nguyen Hai Duong said that the recent achievements of the canoeing team are the result of a long process of systematic investment. It is a combination of the athletes' persistent efforts and a reasonable training strategy, along with the work of selecting and training young talents that has been promoted to ensure a quality successor force. Notably, the young generation of athletes is making great strides, creating a very positive signal for the future of Vietnamese canoeing.
Looking further afield
According to sports expert Nguyen Hong Minh, despite achieving high results at Southeast Asian and Asian championships, Vietnamese canoeing still needs to be cautious, because Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore... will certainly increase investment and prepare thoroughly for the 33rd SEA Games at the end of this year.
Over the past time, Vietnamese canoeing has proven its capacity at the regional level, but if it wants to reach the continent and the world , it needs a more focused investment strategy. Specifically, sending potential athletes for long-term training, regularly competing abroad to accumulate experience, as a premise towards medals at the ASIAD and further, the Olympic arena.
Ms. Duong Hong Hanh added that in the last three tournaments, the teams in the region all sent strong teams to participate. Through that, the coaching staff can evaluate the strength of the opponents and build a suitable preparation plan for the 33rd SEA Games. Looking at the results of the competitions, Vietnamese canoeing has won the highest medals in most events, so it is completely confident to aim for the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games.
Currently, the Vietnamese canoeing team is continuing to train in Thuy Nguyen (Hai Phong). According to the plan, the team will have international training and competition trips. However, due to some objective conditions such as natural disasters, floods and instability in some countries, many tournaments have not yet been scheduled by the Asian and World Sailing Federations. Therefore, for now, the team will continue to train domestically.
“Currently, the hope of Vietnamese canoeing still lies in a number of key athletes such as: Nguyen Thi Huong, Diep Thi Huong, Truong Thi Phuong, Pham Hong Quan... Besides, the young generation of athletes, such as: Nguyen Hong Thai, Ma Thi Thuy, Ma Thi Dieu Ngoc, Tran Thi Quynh... are also expected to be capable of succeeding and shouldering the responsibility of the team in the coming time", said Ms. Duong Hong Hanh.
With the determination and solidarity of the athletes, coaches and the attention from managers, Vietnamese canoeing has every reason to believe in good achievements in the international and regional arenas, first of all at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand at the end of this year.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/canoeing-viet-nam-tu-tin-huong-ve-tuong-lai-707217.html
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