The Southeast Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships kicked off yesterday, June 22, with team events at Hai Duong’s 2,000-seat gymnasium.

Ping pong: Viet Nam’s Vu Thi Thu Ha (right) competes in the girls’ team event against Indonesia at the Southeast Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships at Hai Duong’s Gymnasium yesterday, June 22. (Photo: VNS)

In the women’s team side, Viet Nam beat Indonesia 3-0 while Singapore beat Malaysia 3-0. In the men’s, Viet Nam beat Laos 3-0.

In other matches, Malaysia beat Indonesia 3-0, Thailand beat Brunei 3-0 and Singapore beat Cambodia 3-0.

It’s the first time the country has hosted a regional junior tournament. More than 100 players attended, from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam.

Competitors are competing in U-18 and U-15 age groups for 11 medal sets in the boys’ and girls’ singles, doubles, mixed doubles and team events.

Viet Nam sent 19 players to compete in the five-day tournament, including top seeds Nguyen Thi Viet Linh, Vu Thi Thu Ha and Nguyen Ngoc Tu.

In the tournament last year, Viet Nam bagged two gold, one silver and four bronze medals.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News