Table tennis players to hunt Olympic slots against regional rivals

Table tennis 

Nguyễn Anh Tú is expected to earn an Olympic slot at the regional qualification on May 8-10 in Thailand. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's table tennis quartet will seek their Olympic places at the Southeast Asia Regional Qualification from May 8-10 in Bangkok, Thailand.

They are Nguyễn Anh Tú and Đinh Anh Hoàng in the men's singles and Mai Hoàng Mỹ Trang and Nguyễn Khoa Diệu Khánh in the women's singles.

Trang is defending champion of the national championship and National Sports Games, and Khánh is the reigning champion of the National Top Stars Table Tennis Tournament.

Tú is the 32nd SEA Games silver medallist and the national champion and Hoàng is the second-place finisher of the national championship and the top star tournament. He is also the 32nd SEA Games champion in the mixed doubles event.

In addition to two Vietnamese players, the male competitions feature 10 athletes from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

In the women's pool, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines are represented along with Việt Nam.

This is the only qualification that Vietnamese players are to take part in to seek their places for Paris. However, their task is tough as only winners will qualify.

Việt Nam Table Tennis Federation (VTTF) General Secretary Phan Anh Tuấn said it would be difficult to qualify as Singapore will send their SEA Games defending champions Izaac Quek (male) and Zeng Jian (female) to Thailand.

He said the duo and many other players of Singapore took part in many international tournaments consecutively and have confidence at the Southeast Asian level. 

Head coach Đoàn Kiến Quốc, a two-time Olympian, also said that although Vietnamese players had their opportunity they must be cautious and consider each match in the Bangkok tournament a final. And they also needed a little luck to qualify, he added.

Mai Hoàng Mỹ Trang will shoulder the heavy task of earning an Olympic place in the women's single event. —Photo nhandan.vn

“It will be the first time that I will compete in an Olympic qualification," said Tú who just ended a one-month intensive training in China.

"I have trained hard to prepare for this competition. In Bangkok, I will try to show my best ability against powerful rivals of the region."

VTTF has announced a big bonus of VNĐ100 million for each Olympic spot earned in Thailand.

VTTF President Nguyễn Xuân Vũ said that this bonus was to strongly encourage players, to do their best for a Olympic place, making Việt Nam appear again in the global sporting festival.

A total of 172 athletes, 70 in singles events, will participate in the table tennis competition at the Paris 2024.

The table tennis competition will take place from July 27 to August 10, with the first final held on July 30 at the South Paris Arena, an exhibition and convention centre that will be a major hub at the Paris 2024 Games. — VNS