VN to vie for titles at regional table tennis event

SEA Games champion Nguyễn Đức Tuân will lead Việt Nam’s 10-strong team at the coming Southeast Asian Table Tennis Championship in Thailand from June 21-29. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will compete in the Southeast Asian Table Tennis Championships, organised in Thailand from June 21-29.

“This is an opportunity for our athletes to sharpen their technique, heading to competitions at a higher level,” said Phan Anh Tuấn, general secretary of the Việt Nam Table Tennis Federation.

Coach Đinh Quang Linh said: “The tournament lures all the best competitors of the region. Many participating countries will send their SEA Games athletes to the Thai event, promising a high-quality championship.” 

“It is great for my athletes as they have chances to compete in the regional tournament just several weeks after the SEA Games. Their ability will be improved.” 

Việt Nam will send a team of five male and five female athletes to the tournament. Among them is Nguyễn Đức Tuân, who won the SEA Games men’s singles title and Vũ Hoài Thanh, who claimed a women’s team bronze medal last month.

At the SEA Games, Vietnamese athletes also pocketed three other bronzes in the men’s singles, women’s doubles and men’s teams.

The team flying to Thailand will have some changes compared to the recent SEA Games. The coaching board said athletes who did not have their best performance would be replaced by new players.

Việt Nam has no representative in the world ranking after a two-year absence from all international competitions because of COVID-19. The recent SEA Games was the only one after that long period.

No world ranking means they will be not seeded at the Bangkok tournament. However, the Vietnamese coaching board still has high hopes.

“Competing at the upcoming tournament, our athletes will improve their skills and collect points for their world ranking. My players are not worse than anyone in Southeast Asia if they are sent to international events regularly,” said Tuấn, head of the Table Tennis Department of the Việt Nam Sports Administration.

“At the coming championship, my players will aim to be in the top three in all categories they take part in. It is an order and pressure to push them to strive hard for the best result.” VNS