Vietnamese swimmers ready for World Championships

Vo Thai Nguyen and Pham Thi Hue will represent Vietnam at the World Swimming Champion-ships in Dubai from December 15-19.

Nguyen, who was the only Vietnamese athlete to qualify for a final at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, last month, will compete in the men\'s 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly events.

His teammate, 16-year-old Hue, will participate in the women\'s 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke events.

The athletes will depart for Dubai today.

The competetion will take place in the spectacular new Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Sports Complex, the first time a FINA World Swimming Championships has been held in the Middle East.

The Championships are set to be the biggest in FINA\'s history, with more than 700 of the world\'s best athletes from over 139 countries visiting to Dubai to take part in five days of top-class racing.

Among the world\'s best swimmers set to take part in the tournament are Geoff Huegill and Leisel Jones of Australia, Ryan Lochte and Rebecca Soni from the USA, China\'s Liu Zige, Alain Bernard of France, Italy\'s Federica Pellegrini and Japan\'s Ryosuke Irie.