Eleven members of Da Nang's track and field team have been summoned for Viet Nam’s national athletics team in preparation for the 31^st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) which will be hosted by Viet Nam in May.

As planned, starting from February 17, these athletes will join a training course in Lam Dong Province's Da Lat City for 40-45 days under the guidance of head coach Ho Thi Tu Tam.

Among the athletes, walkers Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc and Nguyen Thanh Ngung are assigned to win 2 gold medals in the walking events. Notably, Thanh Phuc has almost no opponent in the SEA Games arena, but Nguyen Thanh Ngung only won a bronze medal in the men's walking event at SEA Games 26 in 2011.

Till date, a total of 75 track and field athletes from athletics teams nationwide have been called up for Viet Nam’s national athletics team. Specifically, 43 of them come from the National Sports Training Centre in Ha Noi, 10 from Ho Chi Minh City, 11 from Da Nang, 3 from Can Tho, and 8 from Bac Ninh.

On March 12, the final list of members for the Viet Nam’s national athletics team will be officially announced.

However, athletes in such events as walking, hammer throwing, and decathlon will be advanced to the final list, so walkers Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc, Pham Thi Thu Trang, Nguyen Thanh Ngung, and Vo Xuan Vinh from Da Nang will definitely have slots for the upcoming SEA Games 31.

Reporting by BAO AN – Translating by M.DUNG