Vietnam has exceeded its target of having at least 16 athletes competing at the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil this August, with 20 berths secured so far, the General Department of Sports and Physical Training has said.

The 20^th ticket to Rio de Janeiro for Vietnam has been given to female fencer Do Thi Anh, even though she lost a decisive game to New Zealand’s Yuan Ping at an Asian qualifier earlier this week.

Ping was disqualified for the Games as a member of Team New Zealand as she had represented China at previous international championships, and the berth was consequently given to Anh, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

The Vietnamese general department of sports said such a decision had been confirmed by both the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee and the International Fencing Federation.

Vietnam will therefore have four fencers and four weightlifters at the upcoming Olympics, more athletes than any other sport.

Badminton, shooting, wrestling and gymnastics have booked two places each, whereas rowing, judo, track-and-field, and swimming have one athlete each.

Vietnam only targeted to win between 16 and 18 spots at Rio 2016.

The 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro from August 5 to 21. Vietnam has not won a medal since the silver grabbed by weightlifter Hoang Anh Tuan at Beijing 2008.

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