Woodball Open builds on surge in popularity

HA NOI (VNS)— The second Ha Noi Woodball Open starts today in My Dinh Sports Complex.

The two-day event is expected to draw more than 60 players from Viet Nam and Thailand who will be divided into two age groups - under 50 years old and above 50.

In the U-50 group, 27 men and eight women will compete for four sets of medals, while 17 male and 10 female players will play for two sets of medals in the other group.

"The event aims to develop this sport and select the best players for international events, and also to prepare for the Asian Beach Games 2016 which will be held in the coastal city of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province," said organiser Ha Kha Luan, chairman of Ha Noi Woodball Club.

The same event last year drew 50 domestic players.

Introduced into the country in 2009, the sport has quickly gained popularity. In 2009, there was only one club in Ha Noi; now, there are many clubs in cities and provinces nationwide.

At the recent World Cup Woodball Championships in Malaysia, Vietnamese players faced off against more than 200 rivals from 14 countries, taking home one gold medal and five bronzes. — VNS