Seven Vietnamese athletes to compete in Paris Paralympics
VGP – Viet Nam has reached a target of having eight athletes with disabilities to take part in the Paris Paralympics after four powerlifters received their official tickets.
Le Van Cong is expected to bring home medal in powerlifting at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
The International Paralympic Committee confirmed Le Van Cong, Nguyen Binh An, Chau Hoang Tuyet Loan and Dang Thi Linh Phuong qualified for the Games as they all finished in world top eight of their weight categories after the end of all qualifications.
Earlier, swimmers Le Tien Dat, Do Thanh Hai and Trinh Thi Bich Nhu and runner Pham Nguyen Khanh Minh took their places.
However, due to personal reason, Nhu would not compete in Paris this time. As result, Viet Nam will have seven representatives at the global largest sporting festival for athletes with disabilities.
Currently, the powerlifters and runner are training in HCM City while the swimmers are in Da Nang. They will have about two months to sharpen their skills for highest results.
Swimmer Le Tien Dat will vie for medal in his favourite event of the men’s 100m breaststroke SB5
Medal target
According to Viet Nam Paralympic Committee General Secretary Le Duc Tho, Viet Nam set a target of winning at least one medal from this Games although it would be a tough mission.
"All countries have strongly supported their athletes to improve their results. We believe that this year Paralympics would be really competitive and difficult for Vietnamese athletes," said Tho.
He said based on athletes' statistics, the medal hopes were on powerlifer Cong and An.
Cong is former world and Paralympic champion. He is also current world record holder of the men's 49kg category.
The 40-year-old athlete despite his long time shoulder injury won two golds from the Pattaya World Cup in May.
Meanwhile An is a multi-time champion of the regional ParaGames in the men's 54kg. Last year, he secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games in China.
Another medal-potential is swimmers Dat and Hai who were gold and silver medalists of the fourth Asian ParaGames in the men's 100m breaststroke SB5 categories last October.
"Winning a ticket to the Paralympics is always a dream of every athlete. I believe that all member of Viet Nam Team would try the best in both training and competing for the highest results in Paris," said Cong.
"We will bring to Paris the best preparation and be ready to vie for medals."
The Paralympics programme includes 22 sports and 23 disciplines with 549 events taking place over 11 days from August 28 to September 8.
Around 4,400 athletes are expected to participate in the Games which be held in 20 competition venues, including iconic sites such as the Grand Palais, the Champs de Mars, the Eiffel Tower, Roland-Garros and the Pont Alexandre III in Paris and its suburbs such as Clichy-sous-Bois, La Courneuve, Versailles, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and Vaires-sur-Marne./.
