Vietnam eyes sepaktakraw gold

Saturday, 04 November, 2006

Vietnam’s team will be determined to make its fourth Asian Games sepaktakraw appearance a successful one by finally winning the sport’s top honour when it takes to the courts at the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006.

Gold is the target for the women's team as it tries to overturn Thailand’s continued domination in the sport – especially after the Thais beat Vietnam to take gold medals at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and the World Sepaktakraw King’s Cup earlier this year.

In both finals Vietnam found itself in a strong position to win, but failed to capitalise on its advantage, allowing Thailand to come back and take the match. Doha 2006 is now seen as an opportunity to avenge those defeats and highlight Vietnam as potentially the world’s best women’s team.

Veteran players Luu Thi Thanh, Nguyen Hai Thao and Nguyen Bich Thuy will once again appear for their country and look forward to progressing through to the final stages of Doha 2006 as the world ranked No 2 team take on China and Japan in Group A of the team event and China, India and Korea in the regu competition.

In addition, as it prepares for the Games, the Vietnam Committee for Sports and Physical Culture has chosen 12 male and female competitors to attend a month-long training camp in Thailand, where they will play in a number of specially arranged games.

The men’s team will be making its maiden appearance at the Asian Games in the regu and doubles' events as it looks to gain valuable experience in international competition. However, it might have to play without attacker Trinh Dinh Kien, who is struggling for fitness after an injury.

Having played in only two competitions this year and with a warm-up at the China Open pencilled into its schedule later this month, the men’s team has had limited preparation – although it did win a bronze medal at the King’s Cup in Thailand.

A surprising chance of a medal still remains at Doha 2006, however, as the Vietnamese face minnows Singapore and IR Iran in the group stages of the competition and will look to progress further.

제목부터 베트남 팀의 금메달을 향한 분명한 목표를 가르치고 있다. 여자팀 같은 경우 이번이 아시안게임 금메달 획득의 최고의 피크 타임을 알 수 있다. 지금까지 국제대회에서 항상 보여준 베트남 여자팀의 기량은 최고의 기량이지만 막판 승리를 굳히는 결정력이 부족하여 번번히 태국팀에게 1위 자리를 내주었다.

남자팀은 동메달을 목표로 하고 있지만, 여자팀의 경우는 분명 금메달을 절실히 원하고 있다. 금번 9월에 열린 태국 킹스컵대회가 끝나자 마자 베트남 여자팀은 고국으로 돌아가지 않고 태국 현지에서 강팀들과 함께 전지훈련을 통해 실전 경험을 많이 쌓은 상황으로 카타르 도하아시안게임에서 만큼은 절대로 태국팀에게 금메달을 획득하려는 투혼을 발휘할 것으로 예상된다.

베트남 여자 코치는 참고로 제 친구로써 태국을 한번 이겨보겠다고 열심히하는 모습이 부럽네요. 이번에 태국의 아성을 한번 걲었으면 하는 바램입니다.