This event serves as a prestigious platform to celebrate national and provincial milestones while evaluating the success of the “All people follow the great Uncle Ho’s example in physical exercise” campaign across the province. With a firm gaze on the podium, Thanh Nưa commune has mobilized a dedicated delegation of 9 coaches and 73 athletes to compete in 38 categories across five sports, including badminton, stick-pushing, tug of war, billiards & snooker, and athletics.

Immediately following the delegation’s formation, training sessions began under expert guidance. Lò Phương Nam, a stick-pushing coach for the Thanh Nưa team, noted that athletes have proactively balanced their personal work to prioritize practice. His focus has been on ensuring every competitor masters the technical fundamentals, from the initial ready stance and grip to advanced offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Among those training is Cà Thị Ly Na, a grade 11 student at Thanh Nưa High School, who expressed her immense pride in being selected. She and her teammates have spent the past few days intensifying their physical conditioning to ensure they are in peak form for the official matches.

The delegation from Mường Thanh ward arrives at the festival with 38 elite athletes who were carefully selected following high-performance finishes at the ward-level games. They will compete in a diverse array of disciplines such as crossbow shooting, con throwing, chess, and table tennis.

Lò Thị On, a first-time competitor in the crossbow event, admitted to feeling the typical pre-match nerves. To combat this, she and her teammates have been gathering every afternoon at an open field in Hoong En village to sharpen their accuracy and mental resilience.

In contrast to the newcomers, the Mường Thanh delegation also features seasoned veterans like Trần Kim Tân, who is entering his third provincial festival. As the defending gold medalist in individual men’s Chinese chess, he is leaving nothing to chance. To defend his title, he practices daily at the local club and utilizes digital platforms on his phone and TV to study advanced tactics.

Meanwhile, Tủa Chùa commune has directed its 20 athletes to train with absolute seriousness at the commune’s stadium and at Tủa Chùa Ethnic Boarding High School. Thào Thị Mai, who is pulling double duty in both tug of war and stick-pushing, shared that the team arrives early every day to receive direct technical corrections from their coaches.

With the opening ceremony nearly here, the atmosphere across the training grounds is electric. While some preliminary rounds have already begun, the main body of the festival, running from May 7 to May 11, will feature 112 events across 13 sports. Every athlete is currently pushing their limits to improve their personal bests, driven by the collective goal of bringing home medals for their respective units.

There is a palpable sense of confidence that this rigorous preparation will translate into a series of exciting, high-quality, and dramatic performances. The dedication seen on the training fields of Thanh Nưa, Mường Thanh, and Tủa Chùa suggests that the 12th provincial Sports Festival will truly be a showcase of local talent and the undying spirit of sportsmanship.