Vietnamese shooters set their sights on gold at Asian Games

On the mark: Shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh shoulders up to win an ASIAD title for Viet Nam in Incheon this September. - Photo thethaohcm.vn

HA NOI (VNS) – The Vietnamese national shooting team are undergoing intensive training in South Korea with the aim of winning a gold medal at the 17th Asian Games (ASIAD).

The moment of truth for the 26-member team will take place 10 days from today in Incheon. According to manager Nguyen Thi Nhung, shooting experts Park Chung-gun and Choi Jung-ah, who had previously worked with the marksmen, were training them now in a professional environment provided by one of the world’s leading shooting hubs.

Before her departure last September 4, Nhung confirmed that her team would definitely win a gold medal following its failure to convert on two opportunities during the ASIAD in Guangzhou four years ago.

“After learning from our experiences in world events and receiving strong support from sport officials, I’m sure that our shooting team will take the gold not only in the ASIAD but also in the Olympics,” Nhung said.

She identified the marksmen who would most likely get the gold – Hoang Xuan Vinh, Nguyen Quoc Cuong and Ha Minh Thanh. Nhung said Vinh, an Olympian who won two World Cup gold medals and set a record in the 10-meter air pistol event, was the team’s biggest hope.

“Apart from Vinh, there are several other unknown figures who have promised breakthrough results. I believe that Viet Nam have five or six chances to dispute the highest podium in Incheon, and we will be successful in at least two events,” Nhung added.

The shooters will take part in all events in Incheon, with the first one beginning on September 20 and the last one wrapping up 10 days later.

The Vietnamese have shown a steady improvement in their performances in previous ASIADs. They made history the first time they stepped on the podium during the 2006 ASIAD in Qatar, where they won a silver and three bronze medals. In the next edition in Guangzhou, the marksmen pocketed two silver medals and a bronze medal. – VNS

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