Vietnam's canoeists paddle for SEA championships

Hanoi (VNA) - A 15-member canoeing team resumed training last week for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Canoeing Championships, to take place in Mac Ritchie Lake , Singapore , later this year.

The team has been resting since taking part in the Beijing Olympics
qualifying round, and are now getting ready to defend the Southeast Asian
title they clinched in Thailand last year.

Canoeist Hoang Hong Anh will lead the team in December's championships as he
has been in top form since the SEA Games 2003 in Vietnam .

Anh took the men's singles canoe title to help Vietnam edge past
Thailand in the medal tally at last years' SEA Championships.

At the Flatwater Racing World Championshps in Duisburg , Germany , two
years ago, the Hanoian athlete was the only Vietnamese to make it to the
finals. He failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics after recording an
off-form time of 4:36:985 in the men's singles 1,000m.

The team has placed their hopes on the doubles events this year, Tran Van
Long and Luu Van Hoan, and Nguyen Van Chi and Dang Van Thang have been
paddling well and are team favourites to bring home gold.

According to national coach Nguyen Van Thang, youngster Pham Khac Chan from
HCM City was doubles line-up, making this team the strongest yet.
The SEA Caoening Championships will see athletes competing for 24 in
canoeing and kayaking events.

Thang said Vietnam were confident in defending the championship as the
team were an experienced squad.

Vietnam's best canoeing result so far was when Doan Thi Cach advanced to the
semi-finals of the Athens Olympics Games in the women's 500m kayak singles
sprint four years ago.-Enditem