National table tennis event to get started in Da Nang

The 30th Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper's National Table Tennis Championship, also known as the PetroVietnam Cup, is scheduled to take place in the coastal city of Da Nang from May 7-15.

A reported 156 players from 16 teams nationwide have registered to take part in the tournament.

They will compete in seven events: men's and women's singles, doubles, teams and mixed doubles.

According to Nguyen Duc Long, head of the table tennis section of the National Sports Administration, the event traditionally draws many outstanding players, especially young players seeking to hone their skills and gain experience at a higher level.

It also aims to select outstanding players for the national team in preparation for up-coming regional and international events, Long added.

At last year's competition, Tran Tuan Quynh and Mai Hoang My Trang triumphed in the men's and women's singles events, respectively.

The nine-day event, one of the country's biggest table tennis events of the year, marks the 37th anniversary of National Reunification Day on April 30 and International Labour Day on May 1.