Weightlifter Le Van Cong is the first Vietnamese athlete to win a gold at Paralympics.

The nation’s leading medal hopefuls include weightlifters Chau Hoang Tuyet Loan and Le Van Cong, swimmer Vo Thanh Tung, and track-and-field athlete Cao Ngoc Hung.

The 15-member Vietnamese delegation led by Nguyen Hong Minh, deputy head of Vietnam Sports Administration (VSA) will also include coaches, translators, and doctors.

They are scheduled to depart for Narita International Airport in Tokyo on August 19. According to Japan’s COVID-19 protocol, international athletes must have three negative PCR tests within three consecutive days upon their arrival.

All members of the Vietnamese sport delegation have been vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, weightlifter Le Van Cong became the first Vietnamese athlete to win a gold in the competition.

Meanwhile, swimmer Vo Thanh Tung also clinched a silver in the men's 50m freestyle. In addition, weightlifter Dang Thi Linh Phuong secured a bronze in the women's 50kg category and track-and-field athlete Cao Ngoc Hung took home a bronze medal in the men's javelin.