Tonight (July 28), at Lach Tray Stadium, Hai Phong City, the 10th National Phu Dong Sports Festival (HKPĐ) in 2024 officially opened. This is the second time in 28 years that Hai Phong City has hosted the National HKPĐ with the theme "Phu Dong Youth - Firm Steps to the Future".

The National Sports Festival in Hai Phong City was held from July 25 to August 6, with 10,000 athletes, coaches, and caregivers from 63 provinces and centrally-run cities participating, competing for 217 sets of medals in 15 sports including: Swimming, table tennis, volleyball, football, basketball, badminton, chess, shuttlecock, athletics, karate, tug of war, taekwondo, aerobics, vovinam, and traditional martial arts.

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Opening ceremony of the 10th National Phu Dong Sports Festival in Hai Phong. Photo: Hai Phong Portal

This is also an opportunity for students to exchange, learn, share experiences and raise awareness about sports training and physical development.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said: "HKPĐ is the largest sports festival for students nationwide, held every 4 years, and is the highest convergence and concentration point of the physical training movement to improve the health of high school students."

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Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son speaks. Photo: Dam Thanh.

According to Mr. Son, this is an opportunity for the children to learn rather than seek awards, to show their best performance rather than win or lose. We need to aim for a greater victory, which is to win over ourselves, overcome the limits, the sadness of not being successful and accept victory with humility and learning. That is the long-term and real victory that this sports festival wants to bring to the children.

“Competition has both winners and losers. I hope that parents, teachers, team leaders and coaches will have appropriate attitudes and demonstrate an educational spirit in all situations, not turning the bitterness and desire for achievements of adults into pressure, competitiveness or damaging the spirit of the children. That is the true sportsmanship and educational spirit of HKPĐ”, the Minister emphasized.

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Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee Nguyen Van Tung speaks. Photo: Dam Thanh.

At the opening ceremony, Chairman of Hai Phong People's Committee Nguyen Van Tung said that in recent years, Hai Phong's economy has developed strongly. Therefore, Hai Phong City pays special attention to the cultural and social fields; social security work is one step ahead of economic development and is at the forefront of the country.

In the previous 9 HKPĐ, the Hai Phong city student athlete team has always been ranked among the top in the country, especially in 1996 when it was ranked 2nd nationwide.

In the 10th National HKPĐ 2024 - Region 2, in Thai Nguyen province recently, the Hai Phong delegation also ranked 2nd with 28 Gold Medals, 28 Silver Medals and 47 Bronze Medals.

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Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long; Deputy Minister of Education and Training, Head of the HKPĐ Steering Committee Nguyen Thi Kim Chi and Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee Nguyen Van Tung handed the torch to the athletes. Photo: Dam Thanh.
After more than 40 years of implementation with 10 congresses, the 2024 National Sports Festival is the largest school sports festival ever with more than 20,000 student athletes and officials from 63 provinces and cities competing in 15 sports.