Live ceremony praises athletes on way to SEA Games 23

A ceremony lauding Vietnamese athletes before they leave for the Philippines for the 23rd SEA Games took place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh CityMC simultaneously Saturday, broadcast live nationwide. 

Chief of the Vietnam SEA Games delegation, Nguyen Hong Minh said at the opening speech that Vietnam was striving to be in top three at the forthcoming games and to be among the top at ASIAD 15 in 2006 and the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing.

Some 528 athletes are to participate in 33 out of 41 sports, or 351 sport events out of 441, he added.

State Vice President, Truong My Hoa and Deputy Prime Minister, Pham Gia Khiem also addressed the delegation and encouraged them to do their best.

Khiem presented national flags to the delegation and to four prominent figures in sport, namely SEA Games delegation chief Nguyen Hong Minh, Secretary-General of the Vietnam Olympic Committee, Hoang Vinh Giang, Director of the National Sports Training Center No 1, Dang Ngoc Tuan, and high-jump athlete Bui Thi Nhung.

Following a speech by the Minister of Sports, pencak silat athlete Le Anh Tuan and swimmer Truong Ngoc Tuan in Hanoi and HCMC respectively read out the national oaths of determination.

(ThanhNien News)