Wushu artists to train in China; Indoor football tourney to kick off; Ukrainian expert to coach chess; Hoa Phat host Hai Phong in Cup opener

In preparation for coming events this year, the national wushu team will head to China for training.

Destinations will be either Kunming, Wuhan or Beijing, where Vietnamese martial artists have progressed remarkably after previous training sessions.

Two Chinese experts will be invited to coach the taolu (performance) and sanshou (combat) teams.

The first tournament of the team will be the third Asian Indoor Games taking place in Ha Noi in late October.

Indoor football tourney to kick off

The National Futsal (indoor football) Championship will kick off on February 21 at HCM City’s Phu Tho Gymnasium with a prize of VND25 million (US$1,470) being awarded to the winner.

Ten teams will be divided into two groups to play in a round robin format. The top two teams of each group will advance to the semi-final round.

The national final match is scheduled on February 28.

The national championship will be a chance for players to showcase their talent, as futsal officials will come to recruit players to compete in the Southeast Asian Futsal Championship with the national team. Chosen players will also compete in the Asian Futsal Championship’s qualifier, the third Asian Indoor Games and the 25th SEA Games by the end of this year in Laos.

Ukrainian expert to coach chess

Vassily Mikhailov will coach national chess masters starting early this year.

The Ukrainian coach used to work with the Ha Noi team; one of his trainees was World U8 champion Nguyen Minh Thang.

It is not the first time chess masters have the chance to work with an foreign expert. The Viet Nam Chess Federation has decided a new expert is necessary to take the team to the next level.

In 2009, Mikhailov will lead his team to the Asian Chess Championship in the Philippines in May; the World Chess Championship in Italy and the third Asian Indoor Games in October.

Hoa Phat host Hai Phong in Cup opener

Hoa Phat Ha Noi will clash with Hai Phong Cement in the curtain-raiser of the National Football Cup in Ha Noi on January 31. The Cup, funded by Vissai Cement, will see 27 teams from the premier V-League and First Division competing in knock-out formulation for a cash-prize of VND250,000 million (US$14,700).

The runners-up will pocket VND125,000 ($7,300) and the third place will get VND50,000 ($3,700).

It’s the fourth year in a row Vissai Cement has sponsored the National Cup.

The cup winner will be eligible to take part in the Asian Football Confederation’s Cup next year.

In the cup final at Ha Noi’s Hang Day Stadium last year, Ha Noi ACB beat two-time V-League champions Binh Duong 1-0 thanks to a goal by striker Truong Huynh Diep.

(Source: Viet Nam News)