Before heading to ASIAD 20 in Aichi-Nagoya (Japan), the Teqball Vietnam team set a modest goal of trying to pass the qualifying round. However, the players advanced deeply in both men's and mixed doubles events, thereby facing the opportunity to compete for medals.
In the mixed doubles event, Nguyen Hoang Minh Tan and Trinh Gia Nghi will meet the pair Dsouza Quimcy Joaquim and Beg Mohamed Anas Imran of India in the bronze medal match, taking place at 8:30 am on September 20 (Vietnam time).
Previously in the quarter-finals, the Vietnamese pair defeated the Indian representative with a score of 2-0. Meeting their old opponent again in the bronze medal match helps Minh Tan and Gia Nghi have more basis to prepare professionally, although the result of the match still depends on their performance on the field.
In the men's doubles event, Ba Truong Giang and Le Anh Khoa will compete for a bronze medal with the pair Radhi Abdulrahman Ahmed Radhi and Alelayawi Ali Jalil Mezher of Iraq at 9:30 am on September 20.
The Iraqi opponent is considered to have a physically strong playing style, with powerful footwork. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese pair needs to maintain coordination and limit errors in decisive situations.
The fact that two Vietnamese pairs participated in the bronze medal matches is a remarkable result for Teqball Vietnam at ASIAD 20. According to team leader Tran Duy Kham, before the tournament, the team's main goal was to pass the qualifying round. Coach Le Quang Khang also once said that the whole team only expected a few victories at the tournament.
At ASIAD 20, Teqball is in the medal competition program for the first time. The entry of Vietnamese athletes into the medal competition group gives the team more opportunities to accumulate international competition experience and assess their level against strong Asian opponents.
Two bronze medal matches of Teqball Vietnam will take place in the morning of September 20. This is also an opportunity for players to continue to compete for achievements at ASIAD 20, after the journey of passing the qualifying round and advancing deeply in the two men's and mixed doubles events.
