LookAtVietnam – Viet Nam’s sepak takraw team has gone into training for a slew of major competitions leading up to the Asian Games in China next year.

Sepak takraw is similar to volley ball in which players must use their feet instead of hands. Athletes require extreme agility and gymnastic skills to return the rattan ball.

The 10-member men’s team will be trained by Nguyen Van Tho with coach Tran Van Bau. They will focus on hoop (five-a-side), double and team event.

Over the past years, the men’s sepak takraw team has failed to reach medal contention at major tournaments, though they are tipped to earn medals at the indoor games in October.

Women aim for golds

“The women’s team will aim to grab three golds at the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos in December. The team has also targeted two silver medals at the World Championship,” said Nguyen Xuan Hanh, head of sepak takraw section.

To reach the target, the 19-member team was divided into two small groups to practise separately. The first group includes the likes of Hai Thao, Bich Thuy, Thu Hien, Thu Ba, Bach Van, who will be trained by coach Ha Tung Lap.

Their ambition is to gain gold medals in regu and team events. Each regu event consists of three players plus two substitutes per team.

The second group includes prospects and young athletes, who will be coached by Le Thanh Son at training grounds at Tu Son University of Physical Education and Sports No 1 in Bac Ninh Province.

This group will focus on training for the double event and the hoop event.

“Their practice will be conducted in stages, so the training board will put forth reasonable session plans and changes,” Hanh said.

The team would try their best to beat Thailand, who won the gold at 24th Southeast Asian Games, Hanh said.

At the 24th Southeast Asian Games, the women’s team only won silver.

However, they wrote a new chapter in Asian Games history when they won two gold medals at Doha three years ago.

They also captured the crown in the regu event at the Worlds in China in 2003 and a silver medal in the Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines in 2005.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News