A sports competition involving more than 3,000 local athletes kicked off on August 3 at Thong Nhat (Reunification) Park in Hai Ba Trung District.

The opening ceremony of the sports event in Hai Ba Trung District. Photo: The Hanoi Times

The event is one of the activities that will be held throughout the capital to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its Liberation Day (October 10, 1954).

The week-long event involves participants from various sectors, including the general public, civil servants, the armed forces, students, and especially 500 senior athletes.

The sports competition aims to encourage local people to exercise more, improve their health, and become healthier and stronger, said Nguyen Thi Hong Oanh, Director of the Hai Ba Trung District Cultural, Information and Sports Center.

Through the competition, the district hopes to motivate people to follow the example set by President Ho Chi Minh decades ago and contribute to the growth of the capital and the nation, she said.

On the same day, Thanh Xuan District People’s Committee inaugurated a sports competition involving more than 1,000 athletes from 11 wards.

The sports event will last until October 10. The athletes will compete in various sports, including Chinese chess, badminton, volleyball, and soccer, until October 10, 2024.

Meanwhile, an air volleyball tournament has been launched in Dan Phuong Rural District, bringing together nearly 400 athletes from 12 communes, towns, and two units in the district.

The event celebrates the 79th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2), as well as the 70th anniversary of Hanoi Liberation Day (October 10).

This year's tournament features 37 teams with nearly 400 athletes competing in four categories with a total of 63 matches.

Bui Thi Quyen, director of the Dan Phuong District Cultural, Information and Sports Center, stressed the importance of physical exercise, which she said is the golden way to improve health.