Athletics

Nguyễn Thị Huyền takes the baton from teammate Nguyễn Thị Hằng during their women's 4x400m relay at the 31st SEA Games in May in Hà Nội. The duo will compete in the National Athletics Relay Championship on October 12-13. Photo laodongthudo.vn

HÀ NỘI — The first National Athletics Relay Championships will be held from October 12-13 in Hà Nội.

Athletes will compete in 12 categories ranging from 100m to 1,500m distances for men, women and mixed genders at the Hà Nội Sports Training and Competition Centre.

It will be an important warm-up for the National Sports Games in December.

In the first edition, the tournament will feature nearly 160 athletes from 12 cities and provinces, including athletic powerhouses like Hà Tĩnh, Hà Nội, Thanh Hóa, HCM City and the Military.

National team members such as siblings Quách Công Lịch and Quách Thị Lan of Thanh Hóa, SEA Games champions Nguyễn Thị Hằng of Hà Nội and Nguyễn Thị Huyền of Nam Định, have confirmed their participation.

The championship is also a selection event for the Việt Nam Athletics Federation. The best runners will be picked for the national team to prepare for the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia next May and the 19th Asian Games in China next September.

Athletic relays are among Việt Nam's strengths at the regional tournaments, including the SEA Games.

At the 31st Games in May, Việt Nam won one gold and three silver medals. VNS