Over 90 chess masters compete in HDBank International Open
More than 90 domestic and foreign chess players will meet at the Ramana Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City from March 10-16 to compete in the fourth HDBank International Open Chess Tournament 2014.
Nearly 60 locals, including well known names Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, Dao Thien Hai and Nguyen Duc Hoa, will battle it out for a slice of the US$35,000 total prize money, with 33 foreigners from the leading countries in chess such as China, India, Russia and Hungary.
The overall champion walks away with US$12,000 while the second and third-placed finishers receive respective sums of US$5,000 and US$3,000.
The host’s top chess star Le Quang Liem, who is also reigning champion of the tournament, will return home from the US to join the competition for the fourth consecutive time, aiming to keep the trophy in Vietnam.
Officials sent to the touchlines
Referees and assistants have been suspended until the end of the V-League’s first-leg matches after their misjudgements in the National Premier League recently.
Referee Phung Quoc Quan gave a goal to Song Lam Nghe An in a match against Hung Vuong An Giang last week when it was scored from off-side. Later, he only gave a yellow card to defender Tran Dinh Dong, whose violent strike broke midfielder Nguyen Anh Hung’s leg.
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) said Dong must receive a red card. Quan’s assitant Tran Thanh Liem was said to be involved in the first mistake. Both of them will be rested until April 20, which means they will be barred from six matches.
Another referee, Nguyen Van Kien, received a similar punishment for ignoring many violent strikes by teams Hai Phong and Da Nang last week. His assistant, Truong Duc Chien, too was sidelined for two matches.
Nguyen Hai Huong, the head of VFF’s Referee Councils, said: “These bans are pretty heavy and have been imposed so that referees and assistants focus and do their best in matches later.”
70 cyclists to participate in international cycling event
The International Womens Cycling Tournament, the Binh Duong Open, will kick off on March 7 with the participation of 11 local and foreign teams. Seventy cyclists will compete in a race of nearly 700 kilometres over eight stages.
In its fourth edition, the tournament organisers have invited strong rivals, Thailand, Japan and Malaysia, to participate in the event.
The organisers said the foreign competitors will have to vie for the Cup with Viet Nams strongest squads from Binh Duong Water Supply and Drainage, An Giang Plant Protection and Domesco Pharmacy Dong Thap.
“This year the length of the race is longer and the cyclists will pass through mountainous and hilly terrain. These would be big obstacles for everyone,” said Ngo Van Lui, deputy head of the organising board.
The 105-km long first stage will be from Binh Duong City to Xuan Loc District of Dong Nai Province.
The tournament will conclude on March 14 and the winner will walk away with VND30 million, or US$1,500. The organisers will also present prizes to the best cyclist and the top teams.
Vinh wins weightlifting silver
Viet Nam won a silver at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships being held in Thailand.
On Tuesday, Ly Quang Vinh came second in the men’s 50kg category, lifting a total of 202kg, 11kg less than winner Zheng Liangrun from China.
Kim Yong Gun from North Korea came third, lifting 194kg.
In total, there are six athletes from Viet Nam. Among them, Nguyen Tran Tuan Anh is expected to win a medal in the men’s 56kg class.
The Thai championships have 560 athletes from 40 countries participating and will continue until March 12. They are a precursor to the second Olympic Youth Games to be held in China in August.
World No 8 sent home by S Korean
Qualifier Lee Dong-keun of South Korea came from behind to beat Viet Nam’s world No 8 Nguyen Tien Minh 17-21, 21-16, 21-16 in the first round of the Yonex All England Open badminton tournament yesterday in Birmingham.
Minh’s defeat was the biggest shock of the opening round.
Last year Minh reached the quarter-finals where he was beaten 21-17, 21-19 by world No 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia.
The All England Open has lured some of the world’s top athletes competing for prize money of US$400,000. The event will wrap up on Sunday.
Source: Nhandan/VNA/VNS
Đăng ký: VietNam News
