The year 2020 was challenging for Da Nang sports sector as almost all the major sporting events in the city were either cancelled or postponed due to the global coronavirus crisis.

Apart from young talented swimmer Hoang Quy Phuoc, swimmer Nguyen Huu Kim Son (in picture) has a high hope to be selected for Vietnamese swimming team to compete in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) which will take place in Viet Nam in 2021.

But it wasn't all bad. As Da Nang successfully contained the second coronavirus wave last September, some national and municipal-level sporting events resumed. Da Nang athletes gained certain success in their sports events at the end of 2020 despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Most noticeably, Da Nang Taekwondo team excellently finished in second place at the National Taekwondo Championship 2020. Da Nang young judo fighters claimed 3 goldens, 2 silvers and 5 bronzes from Viet Nam's National Youth Judo Championship 2020.

In addition, Da Nang teams of athletics, swimming, judo and sailing still secured their certain positions in the national sports arena.

The much-hailed results were mainly attributed to active support from the leaders of Da Nang sports sector, the accustomed guidance and follow-up of leaders of the municipal Athlete Training Centre, and the great efforts made by local athletes.

Local athletes demonstrated remarkable ingenuity to keep fit during the last challenging year.

From weird and wonderful online fitness classes, many of athletes found interesting ways to keep going when all training facilities across the city were forced to close as an effort to tackle Covid-19.

For instance, during the nationwide social distancing period, local swimmers got non-pool swimming workouts in order to build muscle and boost their performance in the pool.

Race walker Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc had to practice stair running workouts every day to build speed, strength and power.

During the restriction period, such judo fighters as Duong Thi Thanh Minh and Le Duy Thanh used grappling or throwing dummies to take their solo techniques and abilities to the next level.

Judo grappling or throwing dummies are effective training devices to help fighters improve their techniques and abilities. They also serve as great lifelike substitutes for practice partners or opponents.

As 2020 ends, we have waved farewell to a year of endless challenges and welcome a fresh start in 2021. We will be hoping for a brighter future for Da Nang sports sector in the next 12 months.

Most recently, Da Nang has already mapped out a plan to boost the development of its sports sector during the 2021-2025 period.

The focus will be on training high-quality athletes for Da Nang so as to get the highest possible achievement in sports events in Viet Nam, and in Southeast Asia at large.

The importance will be attached to make Da Nang into one of the country’s largest sports centres which specialise in providing highly-qualified athletes to Vietnamese squads.

 By NGUYEN AN – Translated by M.D