Six Vietnamese athletes will become the first Olympians from their country to walk on American soil in Saturday morning's (Hong Kong time) Opening Ceremony. Vietnam, which entered the Olympic movement in 1951, joined the Soviet-led boycott of the Los Angeles Games in 1984. Although their medal chances are next to nil, the six pioneering athletes are filled with a sense of history. Vietnamese-born American Ly Bui, the team liaison officer, said: 'The team are really happy and proud to be here. They feel proud to know that they are the first Vietnamese Olympic athletes to take part in a Games held in the United States.' Vietnam took part in every Summer Games between 1952 and 1972. After the Vietnam War, a new governing body was formed and gained recognition from the International Olympic Committee in 1976. It re-joined the Games in Moscow in 1980. Their Atlanta squad feature two swimmers, two female hurdlers, one male shooter and one female judo player. Free pistol shooter Viet Tranh Quoc, 30, gold medallist at the 1991 and 1993 Asian Championships, said: 'It is really good for us to be competing in the Olympics. 'We know the importance of being here and basically, we are here to watch and learn so when we compete again. We will be better.'
