Da Nang sets a target of grabbing 4 gold and 2 silver medals at the ongoing National Athletics Championship 2024 taking place in Dong Nai Province from November 7 to 15.

The Da Nang athletics team hardly practicing to prepare for the National Athletics Championship 2024. Photo: P.N

Co-organised by the Viet Nam Athletics Federation and authorities in Dong Nai Province, this year’s tournament sees the participation of more than 500 athletes from 52 units, provinces, cities and sectors across the country.

This is the 48^th time the tournament has been held, promising to be fierce and highly competitive competition as seeing the participation of the best athletes namely Quach Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hang, Nguyen Thi Oanh and Le Thi Tuyet.

Athletes compete in 50 events including 24 events for men, 24 events for women, and 2 mixed relay events for men and women. The national level competition is a premise to seek talents in preparation for the two most important arenas: SEA Games 33 in 2025 and ASIAD 20 in 2026.

Athletics is a strong sport, contributing many medals to Da Nang sports. In recent years, athletes in the city have been given the opportunity to participate in many tournaments in the competition system of the Viet Nam Athletics Federation, in which the national championship is a key playground.

This year, the Da Nang athletics team consists of 7 coaches and 23 athletes, aiming to win 4 gold medals and 2 silver medals. This is a suitable goal when localities such as Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, the Military have many strong athletes with high medal competition potential. The city's athletes compete in running, long jump, pole vault, walking, shot put, discus throw, and javelin throw.

In the women's 20km walk, walker Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc from Da Nang is expected to win a gold medal. Along with Thanh Phuc, her younger brother Nguyen Thanh Ngung is expected to win the gold medal in the men's 20km walk.

From 2010 to 2022, Thanh Ngung continuously won first place. At the 2023 National Athletics Championship, he was injured during the competition and had no achievements. However, two other athletes of the Da Nang Athletics team, Vo Xuan Vinh and Huynh Ngoc Trai, excelled in bringing home the gold and silver medals. At this year’s tournament, Thanh Ngung, Xuan Vinh and Ngoc Trai are expected to win all three sets of medals.

In addition, other athletes with a high hope for gold medals are Do Tan Truong (hammer throw, gold medal in 2023), Nguyen Pham Hoai Yen (pole vault, gold medal in 2023), Tran Thi Loan (long jump, gold medal in 2022, silver medal in 2023).

In addition to experienced faces, the Da Nang athletics team creates conditions for promising athletes to compete, aiming to build a quality next generation. In the running event, Nguyen Khanh Ly and Nguyen Thi Hong Anh can compete for medals.

Khanh Ly shared "I will compete in the 800m and 1,500m races. This event has the participation of many excellent athletes, but I will try my best to achieve the best results. This is a good opportunity for me to practice and improve my professional level".

In addition, in the hammer throw event, Mai Thi Yen will compete in a national-level tournament for the first time. In 2023, she won a gold medal in the women's hammer throw event, breaking the record at the national youth championship.

According to coach Le Van Binh, the Da Nang Athlete Training and Coaching Centre creates the best conditions for athletes of the city's athletics team to practice and compete. The athletes selected to participate in this tournament have good expertise and a lot of experience competing in national and international championships. A week before the tournament started, the athletes were present in Dong Nai to get acquainted with the competition conditions.

Reporting by PHI NONG - Translating by M.DUNG