Vietnamese athletes gear up for international competitions in 2014  2014 looks to be a busy year in Vietnamese sport, as the country’s athletes prepare to take part in many important sporting competitions, both at home and abroad.   Asiad 17 is considered Vietnam's most important sporting event in 2014.  In addition to the 7th National Sports Festival, to be held in December, the focus of Vietnamese athletes rests on three international competitions: the 2nd Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Nanjing, China; the 17th Asian Games (Asiad 17) in Incheon, Republic of Korea; and the fourth Asian Beach Games (ABG) in Phuket, Thailand. A 30-member Vietnamese contingent plans to attend the YOG, fielding athletes in 11 sports and hoping for strong results in athletics, swimming and weightlifting. According to Lam Quang Thanh, deputy head of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training, four Vietnamese athletes have qualified for the Games to date, with three in weightlifting and one in rowing. In the time leading up to the qualification deadline, the number of qualified Vietnamese athletes is expected to increase by 15 to 20, he added. Medal hopes are firmly pinned on young swimming stars Nguyen Thi Anh Vien and Tran Duy Khoi. To the Asiad 17 in Incheon, which runs from September 19 to October 6, a 350-member sporting delegation with 250 athletes will attempt to win at least three gold medals. Vietnam plans to compete in 22 sports at this year’s games, aiming to make the podium in eight sports: athletics, swimming, gymnastics, shooting, taekwondo, karate, wushu and sepak takraw. The delegation hopes to finish between 15th and 20th place overall from the field of 45 participating countries and territories. Asiad 17 is considered the country’s most important sporting event in 2014, giving Vietnamese sport a chance to prepare for Asiad 18, which will take place in Hanoi in five years’ time. In preparation for Asiad 17, the General Department of Sports and Physical Training, the Vietnam Olympic Committee and localities across the nation have worked together to define a key group of 64 athletes who will enjoy the best training environments, as well as preferential incentives and policies, to help achieve the expected results. In addition to the key sports mentioned above, Asiad 17 is an ideal platform for Vietnam’s coaches and managers to test the quality of domestic athletes of other sports, like football, volleyball, archery, rowing, weightlifting and golf, and to discover and overcome weaknesses in preparation for Asiad 18 in 2019. From November 11-21, the Vietnamese athletes are scheduled to be in Thailand to take part in their last big international tournament of the year, the ABG – Phuket 2014. The country’s provisional squad includes 280 members who will look to excel in muay, bodybuilding, sepak takraw and wrestling. Vietnam may register to compete in other sports like sailing, windsurfing and parasailing. The 11-day event will be a good opportunity for Vietnamese beach athletes to gain experience and increase integration with other Asian nations. It is also expected to help the country improve its organisational experience as preparation for hosting the 5th ABG in 2016. Source: Nhan Dan/TDTT