Awarding ceremony of stage 8, cross-country bicycle race - 2014

(Baonghean.vn) - On December 11, in Kim Lien commune (Nam Dan), the "Cross Vietnam - 2014, Vietnam National Defense Cup" bicycle race ended stage 8 with a journey of 60km from Ha Tinh city to Kim Lien intersection (National Highway 46 and Provincial Road 540).

The athletes reached the finish line.

After the athletes crossed the finish line, the Organizing Committee held a ceremony to pay tribute to Uncle Ho at the Kim Lien Relic Site and awarded prizes to the athletes with the best results in the stage. Attending were Major General Pham Van Huan - Editor-in-Chief of the Vietnam People's Army Newspaper, Head of the Organizing Committee of the race, and representatives of the leaders of Military Region 4, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The organizers and athletes held a memorial service for President Ho Chi Minh at Kim Lien relic site.

Awarding the athletes.

The “Cross-Vietnam – 2014, Vietnam National Defense Cup” bicycle race organized by the People’s Army Newspaper in collaboration with the Vietnam Bicycle and Motor Sports Federation is a practical activity to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 25th anniversary of the National Defense Day. This is the first cross-Vietnam bicycle race starting from Ca Mau – the southernmost province of the country, going along the length of the country to Cao Bang province, the northernmost province of the country, with 12 stages, the total length is 1,292 km.

The race took place over 15 days, from December 2 to 16, with the participation of 85 athletes from 17 delegations, including 2 international delegations from Laos and Cambodia. At the stops, the racing delegation organized exchanges and presented gifts to families with meritorious services, and to children of officers and soldiers on duty in border areas, islands, remote areas, etc.

At the end of stage 8, the first prize went to Tran Van Quyen (Army 1), the second prize went to athlete Nguyen Thanh Tam (An Giang Pearl Rice); the third prize went to athlete Le Nguyet Minh (Ho Chi Minh City).

BTC awarded the Teammate's Arms scholarship.

Giving gifts to families of policy beneficiaries and soldiers in difficult circumstances.

On this occasion, the Organizing Committee presented gifts to 10 families of policy beneficiaries and military families in difficult circumstances, presented 5 "Arms of Comrades" scholarships to students who are children of officers and soldiers on duty in border areas and islands in Nam Dan district; visited and presented gifts to a typical policy beneficiary family in Vinh city.

Minh Quan