Runner Nguyễn Thị Oanh competes in the women's 3000m steeplechase at the 31st SEA Games in Hà Nội in May. Oanh is one of the candidates for the Victory Cup Award 2022 which honours the best athletes of the year. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Cúp Chiến Thắng (Victory Cup Award) is back after two years of absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic, honouring the nation's best athletes, teams and coaches from 2022.

The Việt Nam Sports Administration (VSA), Việt Nam Cable Television and Vietcontent Sports announced the sixth edition of the Victory Cup Award, considered the Oscars of Vietnamese sports, in Hà Nội on September 22.

There will be 11 categories with bonuses of about VNĐ700 million (US$30,000) up for the winners to grab.

Competitors will vie for Male and Female Athletes of the Year, Young Athlete of the Year, Athlete with Disability of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year, and Most Favourite Athlete, among others.

"After two years, the most important awarding event is returning to action. I am excited to vote for the best athletes and coaches of the year," said VSA Deputy Director Trần Đức Phấn.

"Vietnamese athletes just came through many important competitions, including the 31st SEA Games and the 11th ParaGames. They have secured remarkable achievements. Meanwhile, many more events are coming in the next few months, promising other high results for Việt Nam.

"It means that we, the organisers, will have to work hard to pick the most valuable ones for each category," Phấn said.

Among competitors, runner Nguyễn Thị Oanh (three SEA Games golds and one record), footballer Huỳnh Như (one SEA Games gold and World Cup 2023 qualification) and weightlifter Phạm Thị Hồng Thanh (one SEA Games gold and three records) are favourites in the Female Athlete of the Year class.

The favourites in the male category are swimmers Phạm Thanh Bảo (two SEA Games golds and one record), Nguyễn Huy Hoàng (five SEA Games golds and two records) and Trần Hưng Nguyên (four SEA Games golds and one record), tennis player Lý Hoàng Nam (SEA Games gold, Việt Nam's highest world-ranking at No 272) and marathon runner Hoàng Nguyên Thanh (winning Việt Nam's first-ever SEA Games marathon).

"It is an honour and pride to be named as one of the candidates for the Victory Cup," said Oanh.

"It will be a strong push for me to have better training and competing results; I hope I will top the podium and bring the cup home."

Due to their contribution to the athletes' successes, local and foreign coaches will also be honoured at the Victory Cup.

Football coach Mai Đức Chung, who took his women to SEA Games glory and qualification for the 2023 World Cup, is the top candidate for the Coach of the Year title.

Meanwhile, South Korean football trainer Park Hang-seo will have to battle against compatriot Kim Kil Tae of Taekwondo and Bulgarian Siyana Bozhilova of aerobics for the best foreign coach of 2022.

Park's team won the SEA Games title and battled bravely in the World Cup qualifiers. Kim pushed his athletes to take five golds at the 31st SEA Games, while Bozhilova helped his players to the top of the world championship for the first time, securing three Asian championship golds and eight SEA Games titles.

The public can vote and get more information about athletes, coaches, awards and how to vote at cupchienthang.vn.

The awarding Gala is scheduled for mid-January 2023 and will be live on VTVcab channels and webthethao.vn's platforms. VNS