Venus Teoh Kim Wei, Deputy General Director, Marketing and Communications of SABECO awards the support at the ceremony. Photo courtesy of SABECO

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HÀ NỘI - Saigon Beer - Alcohol - Beverage Corporation (SABECO) and its Bia Saigon has accompanied and supported young talents, contributing to bringing Việt Nam's name into international sports arenas.

The Việt Nam Sports Administration under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Sunday organised the programme to honour athletes and coaches who have made contributions to the country's sports in 2022 with the support of SABECO and the leading brand Bia Saigon.

Accordingly, SABECO awarded VNĐ230 million (US$9,756) to 23 athletes last year in many fields such as athletics, swimming, football, cycling, weightlifting, and wushu. They are young athletes with outstanding achievements in professional sports with the talent and spirit to overcome challenges and bring glory to the country.

The award is part of a programme "Việt Nam Wins Gold" implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Việt Nam Sports Administration and SABECO since 2022 to support the development of Vietnamese national sports talent, aiming to improve Việt Nam's achievements at international sports events such as Asiad 2023 and the Olympics 2024.

Under the strategic cooperation agreement between the ministry and SABECO, the "Việt Nam Wins Gold" programme contributed VND5 billion to support Vietnamese talented athletes to practice and participate in international competitions. So far, a total of VNĐ750 million has been awarded to 50 athletes selected by the Việt Nam Sports Administration. The remaining support is expected to be disbursed in March and April 2023 to support athletes competing abroad and purchasing training equipment.

Hoàng Đạo Cương, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: “The programme and awarding prizes to athletes and coaches in 2022 which was held on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the sports industry is a very important event. It not only honours and rewards athletes and coaches, but also reviews the journey of formation and development of Vietnamese sports during the past years. This will be the belief and motivation for the industry to complete the important sports tasks in 2023 and the following years.”

Accompanying national sports

Bia Saigon is the leading and exclusive partner in the beer industry for the national football team. Photo courtesy of SABECO

As a familiar partner of many national sports programmes, over the years, SABECO, through its leading brand, Bia Saigon, has made its mark as a consistent and dedicated companion with thousands of young Vietnamese sports talents. In 2022, Bia Saigon was a diamond sponsor for the 31st SEA Games, and accompanied the national football teams (including the men's team, the women's team and the U23 team).

Speaking at the ceremony, Venus Teoh Kim Wei, Deputy General Director, Marketing and Communications of SABECO, said: “Apart from SABECO's long-term commitments to drive business growth and sustainable development, SABECO always strives to create a positive impact on our local communities, and this includes promoting the development of Việt Nam’s sports. By honouring excellent athletes and coaches who have contributed to Viet Nam’s standing in international games, we hope this will be a great motivation not only for winners but many others who are working hard for the development of national sports.”

She added that apart from athletes, they also have other initiatives which include building 30 community sports playgrounds in rural areas around the country under the programme of Fostering Sport. This programme is part of their 3-year partnership with HCM Communist Youth Union which aims to provide sports facilities to communities in rural areas and at the same time promote healthy lifestyles.

“So all these are part of our commitment to support and promote the development of Việt Nam sports,” she said.

SABECO and Bia Saigon have always paid attention to Việt Nam’s sports in particular and young talents in general with an aim to improve the capacity of the next generation for the country's development in the future.

The long-term series of activities accompanying Vietnamese sports, creating opportunities for young talents is part of SABECO's commitment to sustainable development 4C around 4 pillars - Country, Culture, Conservation, and Consumption. Launched in 2019, the strategy is aimed at the common goal of bringing the best to the country, contributing to building a prosperous Việt Nam.