Rowing and canoeing are sports that have been receiving attention and key investment from leaders of Da Nang’s sports sector. These expect to help the city's high-performance sports achieve many successes at national championships.

The 2024 National Youth Rowing and Canoeing Championship was exciting and of high professional quality. Photo: VCRSF

The local rowing team has just finished successfully at the 2024 National Youth Rowing and Canoeing Championship opened at the Tam Chuc Pagoda Complex in the northern province of Ha Nam in August.

Under the competition system of the Viet Nam Rowing Federation, the annual event aims to promote the practice of rowing and canoeing nationwide, providing athletes with opportunities to compete, test, and evaluate their training progress, as well as selecting potential athletes to add to the national youth team in preparation for international tournaments in the coming years.

This year’s championship attracted 400 athletes from 33 teams representing provinces, cities, and sectors across the country. Competitors participated in 92 events across various categories, including men’s, women’s, and mixed competitions, featuring canoeing and kayak races in single, double, and quadruple boats over a 2,000-meter distance.

With the participation of 38 athletes and 9 coaches, the Da Nang team finished in the 6^th place in the rowing category with a gold and three silver medals, and 4^th place in the canoeing category with 8 gold, 1 silver and 8 bronze medals.

This good result helped the city affirm its position as being named in the top in national rowing and canoeing championships. Previously, at the 2024 National Club Rowing and Canoeing Championship, Da Nang ranked 4^th in Canoeing with 5 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medal, and ranked 4^th in Rowing with 3 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze medals.

Athlete Hoang Long Nhat from the Da Nang rowing team won the gold medal in the men's quadruple canoeing with the distance of 500m at the 2024 National Youth Rowing and Canoeing Championship, said that he was so happy because of his great efforts paid off with a gold medal, contributing to the overall success of Da Nang sports. Through such championships, he had the opportunity to compete and develop his expertise. His goal is to continue to earn more gold medals in the upcoming national championships.

The continuous ranking in the top of national championships shows the city's investment in the right direction for rowing.

Mr. Tong Huu Dung, Head of the Rowing Department under the city’s Gymnastics and Sports Athletes Training Centre, said that the city's rowing team currently has more than 80 athletes participating in many different events. They are given the best conditions for training and living. In addition to training at the Dong Nghe Lake in Da Nang’s Hoa Vang District, the athletes regularly participate in training sessions in Hai Phong.

Most of the athletes in the city's rowing team are called into the national teams such as Pham Thi Hue, Pham Chung and Vo Nhu Sang (rowing), Vo Duy Thanh and Nguyen Van Tien (kayaking) or Hien Nam, Y Khoer Nie, Tran Thanh Cuong, Nguyen Tuong Duy (rowing). These athletes have competed excellently and won many medals at national and international tournaments. At present, they are training hard in preparation for the upcoming SEA Games 33.

In order to build a quality next generation of athletes, the Da Nang rowing team strives to find and attract young talents every year.

Mr. Tran Cong Tu, Director of the municipal Sports and Physical Training Centre, acknowledged that Da Nang rowing has achieved many proud successes in recent years. These successes demonstrate the city's attention and investment as well as the constant efforts of athletes and coaches.

In the time to come, the centre will regularly organise large-scale rowing competitions, including the 2024 National Club Rowing and Canoeing Championships in order to further promote the development of rowing, and create more opportunities for local rowers to exchange, compete, and gain experience.

Reporting by PHI NONG - Translating by M.DUNG, V.DUNG