HA NOI (VNS) — Asian silver medallist Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc will miss the Asian Race Walking Championships in Ishikawa, Japan early next month.

Phuc has been suffering from sickness and problems with her knees, and her coaches say she will not recover in time to compete in Japan.

Phuc, who won a bronze on her debut in 2012, may make a comeback at the 17th Asian Games in South Korea in September.

Another athlete who is also absent from competition at the moment is SEA Games marathon champion Pham Thi Binh.

She suffered ligament damage after winning in Myanmar last December, and will not take part in the annual Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon in September. — VNS