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In sight: Shooter Tham Thuy Hong aims at a target in the women's prone rifle event at the National Shooting Championship in Ha Noi. — VNS Photo Quang Thang

A NOI — While many national Vietnamese teams are taking a rest after the 26th Southeast Asian Games, shooters continue honing their skills to compete in the 2012 Asian Shooting Championships in Doha, Qatar, on January 11-22.

The event will be a chance for them to qualify for the London Olympics; 35 quota places would be decided in Qatar.

Head coach Nguyen Thi Nhung said the shooters were eager to train at the National Sports Centre in Ha Noi with the aim of getting to London.

The team includes Hoang Xuan Vinh, Ha Minh Thanh, Tran Quoc Cuong (men's pistol), Le Thi Hoang Ngoc (women's pistol), Vu Thanh Hung (men's rifle) and Tham Thuy Hong (women's rifle). It will be supervised by coaches Nhung and Ngo Ngan Ha.

Thanh and Cuong were leading contenders for medals. Thanh, 27, finished fifth in the men's 25m rapid-fire pistol event at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup in Changwon, South Korea, in April. It was his personal best score.

He also won a silver medal at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, last November.

Cuong, 37, finished fourth in the men's 50m free pistol event at the Beijing World Cup last year.

In preparation for the Olympics qualifying event, the team will take a short training course in South Korea on Sunday. — VNS