Vietnam athletes to vie for Asia titles

Vietnam will send six athletes to India to take part in the 22nd Asian Athletics Championship 2017 in Odisha city from July 6-9.

Quach Thi Lan and Nguyen Thi Huyen will compete in the women’s 400m and 400m hurdle events.

Huyen is the Southeast Asian Games champion and record holder while Lan is national champion in both categories.

Huyen was the first ever Vietnamese track-and-field athlete to qualify for the Olympic Games, competing in Rio last year.

Quach Thi Lan (R) and Nguyen Thi Huyen compete at the National Athletics Championship. (Photo: webthethao.vn)

Lan, who spent months training in the US last year, won one gold and two silvers at the Asian Grand Prix in April. She will also take part in the 200m in Odisha.

The duo will team up with Nguyen Thi Oanh and Hoang Thi Ngoc in the 4x400m relay. Vietnam won this event at the SEA Games two years ago.

Asian Games silver medalist Bui Thi Thu Thao will test her skills in the long jump.

Last month, Thao grabbed two gold medals at the Asian Grand Prix, jumping a personal best 6.41m.

The only man on the team, Quach Cong Lich will compete in the 400m and 400m hurdles.

Lich is the national champion in these events.

He secured a gold and two silvers in 400m events at the Asian Grand Prix where he set his season best time of 46.66sec.

According to Hoang Minh Quyet of the Vietnam Athletics Federation these athletes are the best in Vietnam. They are national, regional champions and record holders.

The Asian championships will have a total of 42 events held over four days at Kalinga Stadium.

About 800 athletes from 45 countries and territories are set to compete in the tournament.

The winners of the Asian meet will qualify for the World championship in London from August 4-13.

The previous championships were held in Wuhan in 2015, with hosts China dominating with 15 golds. They were followed by Qatar and India.

Vietnam had five representatives but did not win a single medal.

(Source: VNA)