The visit not only had purely diplomatic significance but also concretized strategic commitments, opening a promising new chapter for rowing in particular and high-performance sports in Vietnam in general on the journey to conquer new heights.
Ambassador Olivier Brochet, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of France to Vietnam, visits and works at the Hai Phong Rowing Center.
Realizing the commitments from the historic signing
Ambassador Olivier Brochet's visit to Hai Phong is a direct result of the Cooperation Agreement signed between the French Embassy and the Vietnam Sports Authority in early 2025. This is a testament to a strong friendship, where sports become a bridge connecting the two nations.
At the ceremony, the French Ambassador presented modern training equipment to the national Rowing and Canoeing teams. This is invaluable support in the context of athletes striving to build physical fitness and technical skills towards two key goals: the 30th Asian Games in Nagoya (Japan) in 2026 and, further ahead, the 28th Olympic Games in Los Angeles (USA) in 2028.
For the rowing athletes, Ambassador Olivier Brochet's visit brings immense moral value.
At the handover ceremony, the Ambassador expressed his delight at returning to the National Training Center in Hai Phong. He emphasized that improving training conditions for Vietnamese rowers is part of the cooperation strategy initiated by France with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism after the success of the 2024 Paris Olympics. With support from the Francophone Sports Association and the French National Institute of Sport (INSEP), the project is expected to create a breakthrough in performance, helping Vietnamese athletes confidently shine on the international stage.
For the rowing athletes, Ambassador Olivier Brochet's visit brought immense moral value. According to Mr. Nguyen Hai Duong, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Rowing Federation: the close attention of Ambassador Olivier Brochet and his French partners is a strong source of encouragement, helping the entire team become even more determined in their rigorous training.
Ambassador Olivier Brochet's visit to Hai Phong on the morning of April 2nd
On behalf of the Vietnam Rowing Federation, Mr. Nguyen Hai Duong expressed his deep gratitude to Ambassador Olivier Brochet, the Vietnam Sports Authority, and the Hai Phong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism for their continuous support of the rowing movement. With this support, both materially and technically, Vietnamese rowing is facing new opportunities, ready for powerful breakthroughs and a strong mark on the world sports map in the coming years.
Ha Phuong