Hanoi, May 5 (VNA) – The Vietnamese dancesport team has set the target of winning three gold medals at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) that will take place in Vietnam from May 12-23, according to the national SEA Games 32 organising committee.

To realise the goal, the team has been practicing diligently under the guidance of coaches Nguyen Hai Anh (also known as Chi Anh) and Nguyen Hong Thi (also known as  Khanh Thi).

The athletes will vie in the waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, slow foxtrot, quickstep, samba, cha cha cha, rumba, paso doble and jive categories.

In the last SEA Games in the Philippines, the Vietnamese dancesport team took home two gold medals in quickstep and jive events.

Phan Thuy Linh, who is in charge of dancesport and aerobic, under the Vietnam National Sports Administration, said dance couples that are undergone training for SEA Games 31 are the best individuals of the national team.

They are expected to achieve great results at the tournament, she said.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, athletes in the national team hardly have a chance to take part in international competitions. However, a training programme in Italy in March has helped Vietnamese dancers improve their professional skills and ready for the Games.

The 31st SEA Games dancesport competition is scheduled for May 15-16 at Long Bien Gymnasium in Hanoi.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, will be held in the capital city of Hanoi and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities.

Featuring 40 sports with 526 events, it is expected to attract around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact./.