Dance Sport Open attracts athletes; National beach volleyball tourney kicks off; HCM City set to host futsal tournament; Mekong Delta cycling race begins today; Top striker Vinh returns to Viet Nam in October. Dance Sport Open attracts athletes

The Vietnam Dance Sport Open (IDSF Open Me Trang Cup) kicked off on August 13 in Hanoi with the participation of 100 pairs of dancers including those from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India.

The dancers will compete in the Latin and Standard categories in the first day of the tournament. Notably, dance sport champion Khanh Thy is not participating in the contest, so Minh Truong (Khanh Thy’s partner) will show off his skills with new partner My An in the event. This pair and Chi Anh/Nha Trang partners are expected to continue to shine in the contest.

In the final round, the organising board will select 20 female dancers who have talent, beautiful faces and perfect bodies form to participate in the Miss Dance Sport competition.

The winning pairs of the contest will attend the 16th Asian Games (ASIAD) in Guangzhou this year.

National beach volleyball tourney kicks off

The 2010 National Beach Volleyball Tournament opened at My Khe beach in central Da Nang city on August 12 in the framework of the sixth National Sport Festival.

The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Volleyball Federation and the Da Nang provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, attracted 15 teams, including 8 men’s teams and seven women’s teams, from Hanoi, HCM City, Khanh Hoa, Hai Phong and the host Da Nang.

They are competing in four groups and in a round robin to select the top two teams in each group to play in the semi-finals.

Khanh Hoa and HCM City are hopeful to win the championship title in the men’s event, while Hai Phong and HCM City are expected to win the women’s.

The tournament will end on August 15.

HCM City set to host futsal tournament

The HCM City Futsal (indoor football) Open will kick off next Friday at the Phu Tho Gymnasium.

The 11 participating teams will be divided into three groups, who will compete in a round-robin format.

The winner of the final, scheduled to take place on August 28, will receive VND20 million (US$1,020).

Mekong Delta cycling race begins today

Seventy five riders from 15 teams across the country will saddle up for the 19th Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Cycling Tour – An Giang Plant Protection Cup 2010 starting today in HCM City.

The eight-stage tour – involving riders from Ha Noi, HCM City, the Army, An Giang Plant Protection, Domesco Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Co Bay Can Tho, Hau Giang and Ben Tre – will end in Ben Tre city next Friday.

The annual competition for male cyclists, which debuted in 1992, will go through 11 provinces – Long An, Tien Giang, Dong Thap, An Giang, Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Vinh Long, Ben Tre and Can Tho city.

Last year, Le Ngoc Thanh of Sai Gon Plant Protection team won the yellow jersey while the green jersey (for most consistent stage finisher) went to Bui Minh Thuy of Vinh Long. Military Zone 7 won the team event.

Top striker Vinh returns to Viet Nam in October

Le Cong Vinh is expected to return home in October from Portugal after recovering from the knee-ligament injury he sustained earlier this year.

Ha Noi T&T paid US$30,000 for the country’s top striker to have surgery in Portugal, from which he has virtually fully recovered, according to medical staff.

Vinh was attending the same hospital that successfully treated Brazilian midfielder Denilson, who plays for England’s Arsenal.

In 2008, Vinh moved to Portugal to play for Leixoes on a four-month contract. He played three matches and scored one goal.

Cyclist wins silver on top of bronze medal in Malaysia

Nguyen Thanh Dam won a silver medal in the women’s endurance event at the Langkawi Terrain Cycling tournament concluded in Malaysia on August 10.

During the race, Dam squared off against Masziyaton Mohd Radzi, a strong rival who had won the gold medal during the cross country race.

This was the second medal Dam pocketed at the tournament after she took a bronze in the cross country event.

The Vietnamese cyclist is now headed to the Asian Cycling Championship that will be held next month in the Republic of Korea.

PV