Hanoi, April 19 (VNA) – As the champion at the 30th Southeast Asia (SEA) Games, Vietnam’s Kurash team has set a target of maintaining its title at the 31st Games which will be hosted by the country next month.

In the previous edition hosted by the Philippines, Vietnam won seven gold, one silver and two bronze medals in 10 categories of the sport, surprising specialists and fans alike.

The team is making active preparations to fulfil its goal. Since January, the team, including two coaches and 10 athletes, have trained at two national centres in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

From March 10-30, they had training courses and competitions in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with positive results. Specifically, Vietnam won four medals, including one silver and three bronze, at the Asian Kurash Championship in Tajikistan.

In addition, at the Kurash Tajikistan Open, the Vietnamese team brought home four medals, including two gold, one silver and one bronze.

At the 31st SEA Games, Kurash has 10 weight classes, five for men and five for women. In the previous editions, each country could only send one athlete to participate in each weight category but this year, the number will be increased into two. This change is expected to make the competitions more attractive, and create opportunities for many young athletes to show off.

The 31st SEA Games, themed “For a Stronger Southeast Asia”, will take place in Hanoi and 11 nearby localities, featuring 40 sports and 526 sets of medals. It is expected to welcome 10,000 participants from 11 Southeast Asian countries.

The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the second time Vietnam has hosted the Games, following the 22nd one in 2003./.