Phat earns Olympic ticket, Vietnam have 10 qualifiers
Vietnam has secured an additional Olympic spot after the Badminton World Federation announced the final shortlist on April 30.
The spot goes to Le Duc Phat in the men's singles category, marking his first time participating in the world's largest sporting event.
The news has been circulating within the community for a week, but Phat himself admitted that he was also eagerly awaiting the official announcement.
In the latest world rankings published on April 30, which are crucial for identifying Paris Olympians, Phat ranked No. 74, equivalent to No. 34 in the Race to Paris table.
This position qualifies him as one of the 38 male players competing in France this summer.
The other slot for Vietnam belongs to Nguyen Thuy Linh, who ranks No. 17 in the Race to Paris ranking's women's singles category. Her place has been secured for weeks, marking her second consecutive appearance at the Olympics.
Currently, Vietnam has 10 qualified players. Among them are cyclist Nguyen Thi That, markswomen Trinh Thu Vinh and Le Thi Mong Tuyen, boxer Vo Thi Kim Anh, swimmer Nguyen Huy Hoang, weightlifter Trinh Van Vinh, canoeist Nguyen Thi Huong, and rower Pham Thi Hue.
Vietnam has set a target of securing between 12 to 15 Olympic slots. Athletes in martial arts, athletics, table tennis, gymnastics, and boxing are currently preparing for their qualification rounds in the next few weeks, with hopes of achieving this goal.
The 2024 Paris Olympics will commence on July 26-7 and conclude on August 11. Vietnam aims to secure at least one medal.
