Vovinam made its international debut at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam. It went on to gain regional recognition, becoming an official sport in the competitive programme of the 26th SEA Games hosted by Indonesia two years later, in which Vietnam finished atop the Vovinam podium with five gold, seven silver and three bronze medals.
The Vietnam national Vovinam team will compete in every combat and demonstration discipline at next month’s Games, aiming to win five gold and five silver medals and to defend their glorious success at the 2011 competition.
Nearly 100 martial artists from five countries – Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia and Myanmar, are registered to take part in the five-day Vovinam competition. There will be a total of 18 sets of medals available in 12 performance events and six combat disciplines.
According to Nguyen Tan Thinh, coach of the Vietnam national Vovinam team, Vietnam will bring its top 16 Vovinam fighters to Myanmar, among whom are six reigning 2013 world combat champions: Tran Khanh Trang (women’s 50kg), Nguyen Thi Kim Hoang (women’s 55kg), Nguyen Thi Quyen Chan (women’s 60kg), Tran Anh Tuan (men’s 55kg), Nguyen Duy Khanh (men’s 60kg) and Ho Minh Tam (men’s 65kg).
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The Vietnam national Vovinam team for the upcoming 27th SEA Games
This is the second time Vovinam has been included at the region’s biggest sporting event, an indication of the sustainable development of the sport and the warm welcome from international friends. The main objective of the Vietnam Vovinam team at this year’s Games is to raise the spirit of fair play, to perform at the pinnacle of the traditional Vietnamese martial art and to stimulate the Vovinam movement across Southeast Asia.
In an effort to help Myanmar host the Vovinam event, the Vietnam Vovinam Federation fielded a delegation to the country in August to inspect Wunna Theikidi Stadium and to provide technical training to Myanmar’s athletes and referees. Former world champion Vo Nguyen Linh is currently in Myanmar to offer consultation to its Vovinam artists during last-minute preparation for the 27th SEA Games.
Vovinam is currently practised by hundreds of thousands of followers in 35 countries and territories around the world, including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines.
