Hanoi, May 11 (VNA) – Taekwondo athletes of Vietnam will meet many difficulties on their way to the championship at the ongoing 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31),  according to the Organising Committee of SEA Games 31. 

According to head coach of the national team Vu Anh Tuan, the preparation by Vietnamese taekwondo fighters has followed the schedule.

The athletes are in the best heath condition and fortunately there are no serious injuries affecting the team's personnel, the head coach said.

The squad’s early gathering at Tay Ho district’s gymnasium from May 9 is a really favourable condition for the athletes to be able to achieve their goals because getting acquainted with venues is really important in the preparation work, Tuan said.

However, there are many other issues that will affect the Vietnamese athletes' performance, he noted, saying the strength of opponents must be taken into account.

In Southeast Asia, taekwondo fighters have reached the world level in many weight categories, even some have held Olympic championships, Tuan said.

To SEA Games 31, Thailand has sent female taekwondo fighter Panipak Wongpattanakit, who had a podium finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

This shows that Thailand and other countries attach great importance to the SEA Games playground, which makes it more difficult for Vietnamese athletes to win the championship at the regional sports event, Tuan stressed./.