Shuttle-cock team to defend world No 1 title

Women’s team who won title at the Asian Beach Games last year will take part in the World Shuttle-cock Championship in Hong Kong next month. — Photo nhandan.com.vn

Shuttle-cock

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will defend their No  一 position in the upcoming World Shuttle-cock Championship, which will be held in Hong Kong from July  二0.

Việt Nam are the world’s best team in this sport. They have dominated the event in the last seven world tournaments, since it was first organised in  二000 in Hungary.

Coach Nguyễn Tiết Cương said a  一 八-strong team - nine men and nine women - would take part in the event. Most of them were part of the winning squad in the previous championship. Others are younger players with outstanding performances in recent local tournaments.

“It is the highest number of players being sent compared to the previous years. We are determined to defend our top spot in the Hong Kong competition,” said Cương, adding the team’s strongest areas were men’s and women’s individual and team categories.

The coach, who is a former world winner, said Việt Nam’s biggest rival was China, but this year France, Germany and Hungary were also strong. They would create difficulties for the defending champions.

The championship will begin on July  二 一 and the finals are scheduled on July  二 八.

Shuttle-cock is one of Việt Nam’s strongest sports, in which it has brought home many gold medals from different tournaments, including the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Indoor Games, and the Asian Beach Games. — VNS