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The duo initially dominated with impressive scores of 7-1, 9-3, and 15-5, but faced a challenge when Indian opponents Arjun Cheema and Rhythm Sangwan narrowed the gap with a 15-11 victory. Despite a strong performance from both Vietnamese athletes, they only managed to secure a narrow victory with a 0.2-point lead over their Indian rivals. While the gold medal is a promising start for the team at the Asian tournament, it does not count as an Olympic qualifier. Currently, Vietnam has earned only one spot for the Paris Games thanks to Trinh Thu Vinh, who achieved a fifth-place finish in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the 2023 ISSF World Shooting Championships in Azerbaijan last August. Vietnamese athletes Pham Quang Huy (R) and Trinh Thu Vinh (L) cheer with head coach Park Chung Gun after winning the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2024 in Indonesia, January 9, 2024. Photo: Nhung Nguyen / Tuoi Tre The ongoing ...

The VBA Awards 2023 recognized outstanding individuals in 12 categories, honoring players and coaches from the 2023 season. Notably, Saigon Heat players dominated the awards, winning half of them, including prestigious categories voted on by the professional advisory board. Kentrell Barkley, the foreign player from the Saigon Heat, was the season’s standout superstar, winning the titles of Most Valuable Player, Dunk of the Year, and Basket of the Year. The Saigon Heat’s Nguyen Huynh Phu Vinh, the 2.03-meter-tall center, was named Local Player of the Year, while Vo Kim Ban, the explosive guard, received the Favorite Player of the Year award. Matt Van Pelt, the coach of the Saigon Heat, was honored as the Coach of the Year, being the only coach to secure two consecutive VBA championships. The Nha Trang Dolphins also had a successful night, winning four awards. Dominique Tham was named the Heritage Player of the Year, and Madarious Gibbs won the Block of the Year. Nguyen Hoang Phuc ...

The VBA Awards 2023 ceremony took place this year, and it was different from the previous year. The program excluded awards for ‘Handle of the Year,’ ‘Assist of the Year,’ and ‘Buzzer Beater of the Year.’ Instead, a new category called ‘Basket of the Year’ was introduced to acknowledge the most remarkable and emotionally charged scoring situation of the season. Nguyen Tien Duong (R) executes a counterattack at VBA 2023. Photo: VBA Interestingly, amongst the nominees for ‘Basket of the Year,’ only one foreign player, Kentrell Barkley from Saigon Heat, made the list. The other three candidates were local players. One of the nominees, Nguyen Tien Duong from Hanoi Buffaloes, stood out for his quick steal and counterattack in the final seconds of the team’s first match of the season. His play secured victory for the Buffaloes and brought excitement to Hanoi basketball fans. This play marked a significant highlight in the career of the 33-year-old guard and a memorable moment...

The Vietnam International Professional Golf Tour, the first of its kind in Vietnam, is set to conclude on Saturday. The tournament has attracted renowned golfers from around the world, including Michael Campbell, Euan McIntosh, James Kingston, and Emanuele Canonica. Michael Campbell, winner of the 2005 U.S. Open and an eight-time winner on the European Tour, is serving as an ambassador for the event in the coastal city of Nha Trang. “The golf courses in Nha Trang City are well-prepared for the tournament,” Campbell stated. “I am extremely impressed with playing golf on an island.” The Vinpearl DIC Legends Vietnam 2023, part of the Legends Tour, the world’s leading golf tournament, is being hosted in Southeast Asia for the first time. Vietnam is the first country in the region to organize the tournament, which is expected to boost golf tourism and attract international visitors, particularly golfers. “Vietnam has won numerous medals in golf at the Southeast Asian Games, and golf is ...

In the 2022 VBA, Gibbs played a crucial role in helping Saigon Heat win their third consecutive championship. This is his second season in Vietnam, but instead of staying with Saigon Heat to defend the title, the talented defender and Finals MVP of 2022 has joined the Nha Trang Dolphins. The departure of their star player to a rival team initially disappointed Saigon Heat fans. However, upon seeing Gibbs in his new jersey, many supporters still expressed their admiration for the experienced player. Madarious Gibbs (R) and a Saigon Heat fan at the 2023 VBA. Photo: VBA “No matter which team Madarious Gibbs is on, I will cheer for him,” said Saigon Heat fan Nguyen Thanh Thuy. On the other hand, facing his former team presented its own challenges for Gibbs. In addition to the support from the stands, he received special attention from his former teammates. Madarious Gibbs performs a free throw in the match against the Saigon Heat. Photo: VBA As the 2023 VBA...

May Academy Elementary & Middle School, led by Hung, recently held a signing ceremony to collaborate with the football academy headed by coach Park Hang Seo. On August 30, Park and his team officially launched the international football academy under his name, with the aim of promoting the development of school football in Vietnam. Park Hang Seo speaks at the launch of Park Hang Seo International Football Academy in Hanoi, August 30, 2023. Photo: VBA During the event, Lee Dong Jun, vice-president of the Park Hang Seo International Football Academy, and Nguyen Thanh Dat, a board member of May Academy, signed a memorandum of understanding, marking the beginning of a collaborative process, as announced by the academy. The signing ceremony also included Hung. Brothers Hung, Dat, and Nguyen Phu Hoang formed a notable trio of siblings who gained attention in VBA. Nguyen Phu Hoang secures the 2018 VBA championship with the Cantho Catfish. Photo: VBA Among th...

The 36-year-old Serb was defeated by the local favorite Sinner earlier this week in the group stage, but he got his revenge with an outstanding performance, winning 6-3 6-3. A packed crowd at Turin’s Pala Alpitour had hoped to see the 22-year-old Sinner claim the biggest title of his career, but Djokovic was simply on another level. The world number one only dropped two points on his serve in a flawless first set, and once he broke Sinner’s serve in the fourth game, it was mostly one-way traffic. At one point, Djokovic won 14 consecutive points against the world number four before Sinner briefly halted the 24-time Grand Slam champion’s momentum. Sinner managed to avoid going down a double break as Djokovic surprisingly missed a routine passing shot. Sinner then had chances to break back in the sixth game, but he couldn’t convert either of them. Djokovic also failed to convert break points that would have given him a 5-2 lead, as a few errors crept into his game. The crowd did the...

The walking event took place along Nguyen Van Huong Street in Thao Dien Ward, Thu Duc City, an administrative district under Ho Chi Minh City. The fundraising walk gathered Nguyen Van Dua, former permanent deputy secretary of the municipal Party Committee; Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam, former deputy secretary of the municipal Party Committee and chairwoman of the municipal People’s Council; and many other officials in the city. The second edition of the walkathon this year was organized on a bigger scale than its previous iteration, said vice-chairman of the Thu Duc administration Nguyen Ky Phung. More than VND18 billion (US$742,000) was raised in the event and will be used to fund social welfare programs of which poor people will be the main beneficiaries, he added. Among the first finishers, Thu Suong revealed that her five-member family joined the walkathon which she described as a truly meaningful and humane event. “Our family has beautiful memories this morning,” Suong said. The eve...

Following their impressive win against the Ho Chi Minh City Wings in the final group match, the Saigon Heat, who have won three consecutive VBA championships in 2020, 2022, and 2023, have secured the top spot in the 2023 VBA group stage. Despite facing early challenges, such as injuries to key players Tim Waale and Vo Kim Ban, which limited their contributions, the Saigon Heat emerged victorious. The Saigon Heat emerged victorious against the Thang Long Warriors in the 2023 VBA group stage. Photo: VBA Expressing his joy, Saigon Heat coach Matt Van Pelt spoke positively about the team’s achievement in securing first place in the group stage and becoming the number-one seed in the 2023 VBA semifinals. He mentioned that it took a significant effort from the team to overcome the challenge of playing with only one foreign player. Now that they have secured the top position, the Saigon Heat are set to face the fourth-place team, the Thang Long Warriors, in the semifinals. A...

The Vietnam Professional Basketball League (VBA) organized the selection process for outstanding individual awards during the 2023 VBA Finals. The selection board consisted of prominent figures in the Vietnamese basketball community, including deputy chairman of the Vietnam Basketball Federation (VBF) Huynh Trong Khai and Nguyen Tran Phuc, a member of the VBF inspection committee. After preliminary considerations, 17-year-old Pham Nhat Thai Quang was selected to join the ‘Rookie of the Year’ candidate roster. The nominee list for the ‘Rookie of the Year’ award at the 2023 VBA. Photo: VBA The rising star from the Thang Long Warriors created quite a buzz during the initial phases of the 2023 VBA season thanks to his remarkable courage and confidence.  In the group stage alone, the teenage guard played a total of 274 minutes. Quang played in 17 out of 18 matches for the Thang Long Warriors, including two appearances in the starting lineup.  He maintained an avera...

The annual event, scheduled for October 27-29, will attract a total of 87 teams competing in four categories of basic, advanced pick-up trucks, advanced SUVs, and open. The competition has expanded its routes this year to a record-breaking 15, marking the highest number of race tracks in VOC history. An aerial view of the venue for the Vietnam Off-Road PVOIL Cup 2023. Photo: PVOIL VOC To keep the races engaging and unpredictable, the organizers have renewed approximately 30-40 percent of the roads compared to previous years and enhanced previously unexplored areas, ensuring fresh challenges for participants. Specifically, the advanced pick-up class features an entirely fresh and separate circuit. As outlined in the schedule, the opening ceremony of the PVOIL VOC 2023 will be highlighted by a demonstration paragliding flight on October 28 conducted by a squad who recently participated in the 2022 Paragliding World Cup held in South Korea. The event will be broadcast li...

According to Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper, the cost of a standard meal provided to the team of eight athletes is VND800,000 (US$33). However, the meal consists exclusively of fried tofu, braised basa fish, fried spring rolls, boiled vegetables, and tomato soup. According to the athletes who spoke to Tien Phong, they often had to purchase additional food themselves to supplement the insufficient portions provided, in order to maintain their energy levels for training. Upon the receipt of their allowances, a portion of it had to be allocated to their coaches. Following the report, the SAV has initiated investigations to validate and obtain further clarification on the information provided in the news coverage. As part of this process, they conducted organized meetings with relevant agencies. After a meeting held on Tuesday, the officials of the Sports Administration of Viet Nam (SAV) have made an important announcement regarding the relocation of the national youth table tennis t...

The ban on long-distance trail runs in Da Lat City and neighboring areas has been lifted by the provincial department, marking a new chapter for trail running enthusiasts. This decision comes after a comprehensive safety assessment conducted by expert members of international marathon organization boards. The tragic incident in which a runner lost their life during the Dalat Ultra Trail 2020 prompted this evaluation process. To ensure the safety of participants, the 100-kilometer mountain race will only be held during the dry season. Lam An Company, based in Lac Duong District, Lam Dong Province, has been granted a license to organize the LAAN Ultra Trail 2023, featuring races of varying distances ranging from 10 to 100 kilometers. Running Connect from Thailand will be the technology partner responsible for race surveillance and monitoring runners’ health. The LAAN Ultra Trail 2023 promises a challenging and captivating experience as it takes runners through the picturesque pine fore...

Manchester United suffered another disappointing defeat as Crystal Palace secured a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Arsenal moved within one point of the top of the table after a comfortable 4-0 win against Bournemouth. Prior to this match, Manchester City had won all six of their opening games as they aim to become the first team in history to win four consecutive English top-flight titles. However, Wolverhampton Wanderers, who had only gathered four points from their first six games, shocked the champions with a 2-1 victory at Molineux. Ruben Dias’ own goal initially put Wolves in the lead, but Julian Alvarez’s free-kick brought City level. In the end, it was Hwang Hee-chan who secured the win for Wolves with a goal 25 minutes from time. Pep Guardiola, City’s manager, admitted that his team did not perform to their best despite the result. Liverpool had a chance to go top of the table with a victory, but they faced an uphill battle when Curtis Jones was sent off in the 26t...

Hoang completed the men’s 800 m freestyle event in a remarkable time of 7 minutes and 51.44 seconds, surpassing the Olympic standard time by a margin of 0.21 seconds. The 23-year-old swimmer is the third Vietnamese athlete to have successfully qualified for the 2024 Olympics. Shooter Trinh Thu Vinh has secured a spot in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She achieved this feat by placing fifth in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the 2023 ISSF World Shooting Championships in August. The Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11 next year. In addition, female cyclist Nguyen Thi That has also qualified for the Games. She earned her spot by winning the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Road and Para Cycling Championships in June. Hoang, born in 2000, has established himself as one of the country’s most promising swimmers in recent years. He is a holder of national and Southeast Asian records in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle events. He achieved remarkable su...

The game formerly known as FIFA, now renamed FC 24, entered early access last week with the introduction of female soccer stars playing alongside their male counterparts in an “Ultimate Team” mode of online play. A mobile version of the game, compatible with Apple and Android operating systems, was released on Tuesday. These additions reflect the current reality of the sport and are aimed at capturing the authenticity of the game, according to EA Sports FC Vice President of Brand, David Jackson. The inclusion of female soccer stars has faced criticism from some fans of the franchise, with objections being raised about mixed matches. However, there have also been supporters who appreciate the skills of players like Alexia Putellas. The release of FC 24 marks the end of the game’s long-standing affiliation with FIFA. With this rebranding, EA aims to create a “global football platform” incorporating features such as broadcast games and live match play. Despite the change in name, FC 24 ...

As of 3:00 pm on Wednesday, the fourth official day of competition at the quadrennial continental sporting event, China has asserted its dominance in the medal tally. They have secured an impressive count of 59 gold medals, along with 34 silver medals and 13 bronze medals. The team achieved a remarkable feat by surpassing the South Korean delegation, who claimed 15 gold medals, 16 silvers, and 22 bronzes. Additionally, they outperformed Japan, who managed to secure nine gold medals, 21 silvers, and 21 bronzes. Among the nations of Southeast Asia, Thailand is currently in the lead in the medal standings. They have earned a total of five gold medals, one silver medal, and seven bronze medals. The Thai athletes excelled in the sport of sailing and were able to secure three gold medals for their outstanding performances. Two additional gold medals were earned in the taekwondo competitions, specifically in the men’s 63kg and women’s 49kg weight divisions. In terms of medal count, Indon...

Deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, Nguyen Nam Nhan, announced that Chien, a billiards player from Vietnam, was invited to participate in a friendly tournament organized by the Union Mondiale de Billard (the World Union of Billiards) and the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association in Shanghai on the weekend. The tournament included three other top billiards players, namely Dick Jaspers from the Netherlands, Tayfun Tasdemir from Turkey, and Cho Myung Woo from South Korea. During the match between Chien and Dick Jaspers on Saturday, a live broadcast incorporated an image of China’s controversial ‘nine-dash line’ map, which China uses to assert its sovereignty over the East Vietnam Sea. Although Chien did not see the image during the match, he was later informed about it. Chien attended the tournament without a coach or assistant. After discussing the issue with Nguyen Viet Hoa, the head coach of the Ho Chi Minh City billiards team, Chien decided...

Hai Yen scored the first goal for Vietnam, followed by Bich Thuy who extended the lead to 2-0. Vietnam, aiming for a second-place finish in Group D behind reigning champions Japan, encountered formidable challenges from Nepal’s resilient defensive tactics in the initial half. The head coach, Mai Duc Chung, led a team consisting of ten players under the age of 23 to Hangzhou, China. However, their performance failed to pose much of a challenge to goalkeeper Anjila Subba. After a close-range goal by Hai Yen in the 53rd minute, the scenario slightly changed and the deadlock was broken. Vietnam applied relentless pressure on Nepal’s goal, causing their opponents to abandon their defensive strategy and adopt a more offensive approach in an effort to equalize the score. Vietnam’s Pham Hai Yen celebrates her goal in their Group D opener against Nepal in women’s football at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, September 22, 2023. Photo: Duc Khue / Tuoi Tre In the 64th m...

On Wednesday, the 19th Asian Games commenced with the rowing competition. The Vietnamese team made an impressive start, securing a spot in the finals for four out of the six events they participated in. Nguyen Thi Giang and Pham Thi Thao came in second place in the women’s heavyweight two-oar sculls event, narrowly missing first place to their Iranian competitors. They achieved an impressive time of seven minutes and 12.57 seconds. As a result of their exceptional performance, they have earned a place in the finals. In the women’s four heavyweight coxed event, where six countries participated, Dinh Thi Hao, Du Thi Bong, Ha Thi Vui, and Pham Thi Hue secured a commendable third-place finish, completing the race in an impressive time of six minutes and 39.89 seconds. In the upcoming finals, they will compete alongside China and Japan for prestigious medals. Vietnamese rower Ho Thi Duy competes at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, September 20, 2023. Photo: Duc Khue / ...