National Boxing Team to vie for Olympic spots in Bangkok qualifiers
The Vietnamese national boxing team is gearing up for the second World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, as they seek to secure their spots for the upcoming Olympic Games. With 11 athletes in tow, including seasoned competitors and rising talents, the team is determined to bring home at least one coveted Olympic spot.
Among the standout boxers on the team are national champion Nguyễn Văn Đương, who previously competed in the Tokyo Games, SEA Games winner Bùi Phước Tùng, and SEA Games silver medallist Nguyễn Mạnh Cường. On the women’s side, SEA Games champion Hà Thị Linh, Asian Games bronze medalist Lưu Diễm Quỳnh, and the promising Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Trân will be representing Vietnam.
Trân’s inclusion in the team comes as a surprise, as she was a last-minute replacement for the experienced Nguyễn Thị Tâm due to an injury. While Tâm has been recovering from a ligament injury, she has not met the coaches’ standards for fitness following her recent performances.
Both the men and women on the team are undergoing a rigorous three-week training course provided by the Thai boxing governing body to prepare for the intense qualifier, scheduled to take place until June 3. Over 600 athletes are expected to compete in 13 weight categories in Bangkok, with only 51 athletes (23 women and 28 men) set to secure their spots through this tournament.
With Việt Nam having already secured one spot for Võ Thị Kim Ánh in the women’s 54kg category, the national boxing team is aiming for more spots at the Paris 2024 Olympics. A total of 248 boxers, evenly split between men and women, will compete in boxing at the upcoming games, with host nation France already securing six automatic quotas.
As the Vietnamese athletes gear up for the World Qualification Tournament, all eyes will be on them as they chase their Olympic dreams and strive for success on the international stage.
