The opening ceremony was attended by National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu, Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan, representatives from ministries and central agencies, as well as provincial and city leaders from across the country.
This year’s national festival is taking place in Can Tho from July 26 to August 12, featuring more than 6,500 athletes who are competing for 476 sets of medals in 19 events, including track and field, swimming, football, table tennis and crossbow, among others.
At the previous festival in 2008, Ho Chi Minh City came out on top with a total of 147 gold, 71 silver and 64 bronze medals, followed by Hanoi and Phu Tho in second and third place, respectively.
The festival, which is held every four years, aims to highlight the importance of physical education and promote the sports among students nationwide. It also offers a good opportunity to discover and nurture young talents for Vietnamese national sports teams in the future.
