National Focus

(12-07-2005)

Pepsi to sponsor national team

PepsiCo Vietnam is to sponsor Viet Nam football team in a deal worth VND1 billion (US$63,000).

The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) and PepsiCo Vietnam will officially sign the sponsorship agreement on July 18 or July 20, said VFF Vice Chairman Le Hung Dung last week.

PepsiCo Vietnam has sponsored many junior and youth tournaments in a country where football is the number one sport.

Previously, a major electronics company agreed to sponsor the national team, Dung said.

With the "deal-per-month" progress, Dung said, it is feasible for the VFF to achieve its VND6 billion target to support the national side in its bid to win gold at the Southeast Asian Games later this year.

Liem crowned U-20 champ at 14

Fourteen year old FIDE master Le Quang Liem won the National Junior Chess Championships U-20 category which finished on Sunday in HCM City.

The HCM City player toppled defending champion Nguyen Van Huy of Bac Ninh in the last game when the two players met.

His team-mate, Le Hoang Tran Chau took gold in the girl’s U-13 category while the girl’s U-20 gold went to Hoang Thi Bao Tram from Thua Thien-Hue.

In his first outing at a national tournament, Dao Thien An pocketed gold in the U-7 class.

HCM City dominated the tournament, followed by Ha Noi and Bac Ninh respectively.

Viet Nam Karatedo Team win

Viet Nam Karatedo Team won one gold, two silvers and two bronzes at the 14th Kobe Osaka International Karate Championship in Moscow. The event ended on Sunday.

The only gold went to the Nguyen Thi Hai Yen in the women’s 60kg category.

Her team-mates Dao Tu Anh and Nguyen Thi Nga bagged silver medals in the 53kg and 60kg categories. Hoang Phuong and the women’s team earned Viet Nam their bronze medals.

The event gathered 600 athletes from 30 countries including France, Spain, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines.

Chess team heads to Paris

The Vietnamese Chinese Chess team will compete in the World Championships from July 29 to August 3 in Paris, France.

Trenh A Sang, Nguyen Vu Quan and Ngo Lan Huong will represent Viet Nam at the event.

However, they will face tough competition from Macau, Malaysia, Hong Kong and favourites mainland China, who boast some of the world’s best players. — VNS