With COVID-19 restrictions on athletics recently lifted, Da Nang’s table tennis team have recently resumed their practices after more than three months of social distancing in preparation for upcoming tournaments, with firstly-mentioned being the 39^th Nhan Dan (The People's) Newspaper National Table Tennis Championships- PetroVietnam - Ca Mau Fertilizer Cup 2021.

The city’s table tennis members are busy practicing at the tennis court of the Phan Chau Trinh Sports Club in preparation for the 39th Nhan Dan (The People's) Newspaper National Table Tennis Championships

Most recently, table tennis player Nguyen Thanh Nam and his teammates have been busy joining training sessions at the tennis court of the Phan Chau Trinh Sports Club.

Since Nam joined in the Da Nang table tennis team in 2018, he has been the main player of the team. In 2020, the Ha Noi-born tennis player together with Vo Huu Quoc produced amazing performances, thereby winning many notable prizes in the men's doubles. In particular, the duo won a bronze medal at the 38^th Nhan Dan (The People's) Newspaper National Table Tennis Championships, and finished as runner-ups at the National Table Tennis Championships 2020.

Nam said that during the city’s social distancing period, he and his teammates actively joined virtual training sessions under the supervision of their coaches.

“Regaining a competitive edge is difficult for any athlete after staying home for a long time. Thus, all team members are returning to training very gradually to improve their physical strength, maintain fitness and regain competition feeling in preparation for the upcoming tournaments” remarked Thanh Nam.

According to the Table Tennis Team’s coach Dang Xuan Chanh, during the city’s social distancing period, table tennis players still maintained home workouts to maintain their physical fitness, health, and appearance. After physical activities and sports were allowed to return in early October, all of the 11 professional table tennis players have been able to practice with their teammates as normal.

“To ensure the city’s pandemic prevention and control measures, all athletes must make medical declarations before arriving in the tennis court, as well as strictly comply with 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health and limit mass gatherings after training sessions. In addition, there are two separate morning and afternoon training sessions, with each capped at 50% capacity of athletes" coach Dang Xuan Chanh said.

Currently, local table tennis players are on busy practice schedules in order to prepare for the 39^th Nhan Dan (The People's) Newspaper National Table Tennis Championships- PetroVietnam - Ca Mau Fertilizer Cup 2021.

Previously, as planned, the tournament was due to take place from June 5-13 in Tam Ky City, Quang Nam Province with the participation of nearly 150 professional athletes from 16 delegations nationwide.  However, the event was postponed due to the complicated developments of Covid-19, and it is expected to be reorganised behind closed doors in late November in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

General Secretary of the Da Nang Table Tennis Federation Le Thi My Hanh announced some regulations regarding to the reorganisation of post-pandemic sporting events in Viet Nam in a new normal. In particular, athletes must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result for SARS-CoV-2 with the validity within 72 hours before going to the host locality for tournaments, as well as strictly comply with 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health, and make health declarations.

“Hopefully, all table tennis players in the city will get fully vaccinated in order to be eligible to compete in next tournaments" noted Ms. My Hanh.

Reporting by XUAN SON - Translating by M.D