HA NOI (VNS)— The coach of the national shooting team, Nguyen Thi Nhung, believes her team can go on and win gold medals for Viet Nam on the international stage after the high performance of her marksmen at the national championships.

After seven days of competition three new records were established.

Ha Noi took the team title with 18 gold medals, but the Army team came a close second, also earning 18 golds but finishing second after winning three silver medals fewer. Experts say it is good news that Ha Noi are no longer completely dominant and the gap between teams and athletes is narrowing. Nhung, for one, is delighted.

"We are optimistic after the performances of the national team members at the tournament. The most outstanding, such as Hoang Xuan Vinh, Ha Minh Thanh and Nguyen Thi Phuong reached their peak performance," she said.

"Their results are strong enough to help them reach the finals of every international event, and we are hopeful ahead of the next Asian Games (ASIAD) in 2016."

Vinh was the bronze medalist in the men's 25m centre fire pistol at the Asian Shooting Championships in Doha in January.

He later pocketed one silver and one bronze in team events' of 25m centre fire pistol and 10m air pistol.

Other Vietnamese shooters won two bronzes in the men's 10m running target and 10m running target mixed in the same competition.

Nhung admitted that there was still work to be done to make ASIAD golds a reality.

"Athletes' skills need to be sharpened when competing in tournaments and so we send them on overseas training courses beforehand. Our recent good performance from the Olympics and World Cup were a direct result of this strategy. We hope that other shooters, especially the juniors, will be given the same opportunities."

The first step for ASIAD preparation will be the Asian Air Shooting Championships in China this month.

Vietnamese representatives will include Olympians Vinh and Le Thi Hoang Ngoc – trained by Nhung on their way to slots in London – in some pistol events, and some others in rifle categories.

"I hope they will maintain their performances and claim victory in China," Nhung said. — VNS