VietNamNet Bridge - Despite the rules of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) that allows the participating countries to register two weightlifters for a weight category, the host country of the 27th SEA Games – Myanmar – has issued its own rules that only one weightlifter can compete.

Vietnam can select only one of the two outstanding athletes Kim Tuan and Quoc Toan to compete in the men’s 56kg category. Photo: Ngoisao.

Vice chief of the Sports and Physical Training Administration, Mr. Lam Quang Thanh, says that the participating countries can register two weightlifters for each weight category but they can choose only one for competition. “This new rule is not different from the registration of only one weightlifter. We are considering options to ensure optimal opportunity to get medal for Vietnamese weightlifters," Thanh says.

This provision makes the selection of the only athlete of Vietnam competing in the men’s 56 kg very difficult. Currently, Vietnam has two athletes who have the ability to win the gold medal in this weight class - the SEA Games champion Tran Le Quoc Toan and the world bronze medal Thach Kim Tuan.

Head of the weightlifting division – Mr. Do Dinh Khang says: "Both Tran Le Quoc Toan and Thach Kim Tuan are good so they will keep practicing until the competition day. Until that moment, we will announce the selected name. We have the plan but it needs to be kept secret since the opponents are very interested in the layout of our team."

Thus, both athletes will go to Myanmar but in the last minute, the selected one will be named. However, with regular weights from 280 kg or more, both Kim Tuan and Quoc Toan are candidates for the gold medal of the men’s 56 kg class.

Nguyen Dung