The Vietnamese SEA Games delegation attended an official sending-off ceremony at Ha Noi’s Opera House on November 29.

The Vietnamese squad will leave for Laos on December 7, two days before the opening ceremony.

More than 430 athletes, headed by Tran Van Quynh, chief of the National Sports Administration’s Elite Sport Department, will take part in 25 events. They are hoping to win 70-75 gold medals.

There are 379 medal sets up for grabs at this year’s Games.

Viet Nam’s strongest events are track and fields, shooting, shuttlecock, martial arts – pencak silat, wushu, karate, taekwondo and wrestling.

At the third Asian Indoor Games last month, Vietnamese martial artists won half of Viet Nam’s 42 gold medals to help the country finish second.

The much awaited football competition will start on Wednesday, with Viet Nam up against Thailand.

The women’s team will play Malaysia four days later. They are hoping to win back the title, which they lost to Thailand two years ago, despite the absence of Do Ngoc Cham, who is injured.

Cool Air Chewing Gum has offered the team a bonus of VND50 million (US$2,630) if they win the gold, VND40 million ($2,100) for the silver and VND30 million ($1,580) for the bronze.

Viet Nam finished third with 64 gold medals at the previous SEA Games in Thailand.

VietNamNet/VNS