Weightlifters vie for Olympic tickets at world champs
Vietnamese weightlifters will try to secure their Olympic berths at the coming world championships to be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from November 4 to 16.
Coach Huynh Huu Chi said that five male weightlifters will compete in both the individual and team categories.
The weightlifters are Asian Games silver medalist Thach Kim Tuan (56kg), Tran Le QuocToan (56kg), who was ranked fourth at the London Olympics, and three Southeast Asian Games runners-up Nguyen Hong Ngoc (77kg), Hoang Tan Tai (85kg) and Tran Van Hoa (94kg).
Chi said that he has no idea about the rivals at the world championships because the list of competitors has not been released yet. However, his weightlifters have been asked to earn as many points as possible so as to ensure their Olympic berths.
According to the International Weightlifting Federation regulations, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) can earn quota places based on their positions in the combined team ranking by points that they score in the 2014 and 2015 world championships.
Specifically, six places are allocated to each NOC of the top six ranks, five for each of those in the seventh to 12th ranks and four for each in the 13th to 18th ranks, as well as three for each in the 19th to 24th ranks.
Vietnam aims to get three tickets to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Tuan, the strongest weightlifter, is required to maintain his score, an Asian Games record, which he achieved at Incheon last month. It is also the best lift currently in the world in his weight category.
He also needs to lift 160kg in the clean and jerk event, as he did to get the silver medal on September 21.