Swimmers to compete at world champs during Tết holiday

Swimming

Swimmer Nguyễn Huy Hoàng will seek his second Olympic place at the World Swimming Championship in February in Qatar. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese swimmers will again celebrate the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday while away from home, as they will be taking part in the world championship next month in Qatar.

“My teammates and I will compete in the World Swimming Championship. It will take about a week and we will again welcome the traditional Tết holiday while abroad,” said swimmer Nguyễn Huy Hoàng.

Hoàng is among six Vietnamese representatives at the February 11-18 competition which is a Paris Olympics’ qualification event.

The team are expected to win their second slot at the summer Games.

Hoàng earned Việt Nam’s first one after he finished third in the men’s 800m freestyle event at the Asian Games (ASIAD) last September.

Five other competitors, Trần Hưng Nguyên, Phạm Thanh Bảo, Ngô Đình Chuyền, Nguyễn Quang Thuấn and Nguyễn Hoàng Khang, are all 32nd SEA Games medal winners and 19th ASIAD participants in 2023.

According to the coaching board, they are currently the best swimmers of Việt Nam.

Players typically practise at the national centres and may go abroad for training courses at any time of the year. It often means they will be away home during national key festivals. They are familiar with this situation.

The world championship is an important event where they have opportunities to secure Olympic places.

Hoàng is the athlete carrying the most expectations of Việt Nam in the Qatar event. He will seek another slot in his strong events of 400m and 1,500m freestyle.

He won silver in the 1,500m in the 18th ASIAD in 2018 and bronze in the 400m in the 19th ASIAD.

Young swimmer Nguyễn Huy Hoàng hopes to set his personal record at the 2024 World Swimming Championship in February in Qatar. — VNA/VNS Photo

Bảo will compete in the men’s 100m and 200m. Nguyên will swim in the men’s 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley. Khang will take part in the men’s 50m butterfly and Thuấn will test his skills in the men’s 400m individual medley, in his world debut.

All athletes share the same target of setting new personal records and further, qualifying for the Paris Games, although this second task was very difficult.

“I have been training hard to prepare for the tournaments in 2024. We have important plans including securing more Olympic places. We will have to do everything to make it, although it is really tough,” said Hoàng.

The team will leave for Qatar on February 9, the Lunar New Year Eve, and will return home nine days later.

After the world tournament, swimmers will take part in an international event in April in Thailand, which is also an Olympic qualifier. VNS