The eighth National Sports Games will start in Hanoi on November 15.

The Hanoian boxing team train for the upcoming National Sports Games.

Athletes will compete in 36 events, including athletics, swimming, football, shooting, archery, weight-lifting, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, boxing, fencing, badminton, tennis, volleyball, handball, basketball, cycling, table tennis and golf.

On the first day of competition, athletes will play volleyball, basketball and petanque.

Hosts Hanoi will aim to defend their crown which they earned in the seventh National Sports Games four years ago with 167 golds, 118 silvers and 137 bronzes.

Via the games, the National Sports Administration will select the top players to compete in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2019, the 32nd Olympic Games in 2020 and the 31st SEA Games, scheduled to be hosted by Viet Nam in 2021.

It is also a good chance for localities to upgrade their sporting and competing infrastructures, as well as management capacity for officials and referees.

The event will last until December 10. — VNS