The
major contingent of Viet Nam’s competitors in the 16th ASIAD, in Guangzhou,
China, left yesterday to join the opening of Asia’s biggest sports festival
today, Nov 12.

They include
badminton, billiards and snooker, chess, weightlifting and table tennis and
volleyball contestants.

The contestants will
join football and shooting teams who arrived before opening ceremony.

Swimmers, judo and
wushu martial artists, dancers and separk takraw players will arrive in the city
from training abroad.

Viet Nam’s 260
competitors will contest 27 of 42 sports and have set themselves the target of
at least four gold medals.

The Viet Nam flag was
hoisted at the athletes village yesterday. The team, the 36th delegation to
arrive for the Games, has registered 150 participants for the ASIAD
demonstration at the opening ceremony with volleyball player Ngo Van Kieu
carrying the national flag.

Weigh lifter Hoang Anh
Tuan is expected to open the medal count for Viet Nam; his 56kg category will
start and finish tomorrow.

The weight lifter won
a silver medal – a first for Viet Nam – at Beijing Olympics.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News