Beach handball 

Players of Hà Nội and Đà Nẵng in action at the National Beach Handball Championship on April 22 in Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province. VNA/VNS Photo

VŨNG TÀU -- The National Beach Handball Championship kicked off on April 22 in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu Province.

The tournament features more than 100 athletes of eight men's and women's teams from Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, Bình Định and HCM City.

They compete in a round robin format in both categories.

On the first day of competition, HCM City A beat HCM City B 2-0 while Hà Nội defeated Đà Nẵng 2-1 in men's action.

In the women's fixtures, HCM City A won HCM B 2-0 and Bình Định lost 2-0 to Hà Nội.

The top team will play the fourth-placed one while the second-placed squad will meet the third-placed side in the semi-finals.

The finals will be organised on April 27.

Đào Đức Kiên, official of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam, said the championship was the most important event for the sport of the year. It was time for the Việt Nam Handball Federation to select high-quality players for the national team who will compete in the world championship in June in China and the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand in 2025.

He said all national team players would take part in matches, promising competitive games for supporters.

Huỳnh Đức Dũng, deputy director of the Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu's Culture and Sports Department, said it was the second time that the province hosted the championship.

Handball has been strongly developing recently as it is an attractive, powerful and highly competitive sport, suitable for the agility and dexterity of Vietnamese people.

He hoped that the tournament would stimulate the handball movement in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu and in the near future, and the province would have teams to join the national championship.

Last year, HCM City took the men's title while Hà Nội walked away with the trophy for women. VNS