The second wave of coronavirus outbreak in Da Nang has affected the staging of many annual international sporting events in the city, such as the Da Nang International Marathon (DNIM) and the TECHCOMBANK IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam Triathlon. Besides, many ongoing mass sports tournaments citywide have all been disrupted.

The 2020 Da Nang Beach Football Tournament, one of the city’s mass sports events, has been postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak

All training facilities in the city have been forced to close as an effort to tackle Covid-19 since the city began the social distancing on 28 July.

Therefore, the city's high-achievement sports teams focused on keeping up their fitness levels while staying indoors during the city’s nearly two-month social distancing period.

Meanwhile, the Da Nang Athlete Training Centre under the municipal Department of Culture and Sports put in place drastic preventive measures to stem the spread of the deadly virus.

During the restriction period, athletes who are natives of Da Nang and are living at the Centre’s hall of residence for athletes were allowed to come back home. Meanwhile, around hundreds of athletes from other localities nationwide were required to strictly practice the city's social distancing rules when staying at the Centre’s hall of residence for athletes.

During that hard time, the California Fitness & Yoga and the Elite Fitness Gym & Yoga centres have made a series of 20-minute-long home workout videos available for free on the Danang TV channel at 5.30am and 5.30pm every day.

There are exercises to help local residents improve their physical strength and resistance, beat insomnia, stave off the effects of aging, improve their digestive system, and get rid of belly fat.

Besides, these home workout videos are already available on the website of the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports to help local residents stay active during social distancing.

Most recently, the Chi Lang Stadium, and sports complexes under the management of the city’s Athlete Training Centre have been permitted by the municipal Department of Culture and Sports to open for training, hereby facilitating members of the city's high-achievement sports teams to return to normal training in preparation for forthcoming national and international sports competitions.

Till date, mass sports events have still remained prohibited due to a still-placed ban on public gatherings of more than 30 people.

Hopefully, the city’s sports sector will achieve its desired success as all athletes are well-prepared for their upcoming competitions.

By NGUYEN AN - Translated by M.D