The Vietnam Sport Team is ready to compete with 681 members consisting of Mr Tran Duc Phan, Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Sport Administration and Chef de Mission; 2 Deputy Chefs de Mission, 20 officials, 22 doctors, 32 team leaders, 28 experts, 105 coaches and 471 athletes (211 females and 260 males) who will strive to win 276 medals in 32 sports (of 405 medals in 38 sports in total).
After setting major objectives and passing the national flag to the Vietnam Sport Team, Mr Nguyen Ngoc Thien said: “SEA Games is a large-scale regional sport event and a symbol of solidarity, friendship and peace in the ASEAN region. Therefore, I would like the Vietnam Sport Team members to acknowledge this major responsibility for our Motherland, for the people and for the sport fans across the country”. Mr Nguyen Ngoc Thien also emphasided that every medal won by Vietnamese athletes at this SEA Games’ edition is a great honor, a meaningful expression of gratitude to their family, relatives, people and country. However, more importantly, the athletes should compete using their experiences and trainings as well as surpassing themselves.
On behalf of 471 Vietnamese athletes, Asian Fencing Champion Vu Thanh An has given an oath before the Vietnam’s Leaders and guests attending the ceremony: “I promise to compete in the Games in the spirit of solidarity, friendship, cooperation and development with friends in other countries in the region, showing the friendliness, and peace of our country and the Vietnamese people. We will always be united with the high sense of discipline, build the strength for the Vietnam Sport. We will compete with honesty, dedication and creativity in each competition to bring glory to the Motherland.
At the ceremony, Mr Tran Duc Phan, Chef de Mission of the Vietnam Sport Team set the target of winning 49 to 59 gold medals and strive to stay in the top of the 29th SEA Games medal tally. “The Vietnam Sport Team has built a strong spirit, determined will and is now ready to compete for each gold medal in order to bring glory to nation”, he said. Participating in this edition of the SEA Games is also a basis for reviewing the strength of Vietnamese athletes competing in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia and in future major sport events(The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games)./.