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HANOI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The National Youth Weightlifting Championship 2017 kicked off Wednesday in Vietnam's northern Bac Ninh province, drawing nearly 200 athletes from 26 teams nationwide.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Do Dinh Khang, head of weightlifting under Vietnam's General Department of Sports and Physical Training, said the tournament aims at evaluating the training work of young athletes nationwide, as well as selecting new members for the national youth team to participate in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.
The athletes are divided into two age groups of 13-14 and 15-16, reported Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA.
In the age category of 13-14, female athletes will compete in weight classes ranging from 44 kilo, 48 kilo, 53 kilo and over 58 kilo while those of male players include 50 kilo, 56 kilo, 62 kilo, 69 kilo, 77 kilo and over 77 kilo.
Meanwhile, for the age of 15-16, girls will compete in weight classes of 48 kilo, 53 kilo, 58 kilo, 63 kilo, 69 kilo and over 69 kilo while those for boys are 56 kilo, 62 kilo, 69 kilo, 77 kilo, 85 kilo, and over 85 kilo.
After the opening ceremony, the female athletes at the age of 13-14 started competing in two weight classes of 44 kilo and 48 kilo.
The championship will last till April 2.
