Long jumper Bui Thi Thu Thao is ready to take part in the Asian Games in Indonesia (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnamese track and field athletes will leave forIndonesia on August 22, aiming for at least one gold medal at the ongoing 18thAsian Games (ASIAD) 2018.
Vietnamwill send 18 athletes to Asia’s biggest sport tournament, with expectationshigh for long jumper Bui Thi Thu Thao and runner Quach Thi Lan.
Atthe Southeast Asian (SEA) Games last year, Vietnam won 17 golds to top theregion. Atthe 17th ASIAD held in Incheon, the Republic of Korea in 2014, Vietnam earnedtwo silver medals thanks to Thao and Lan.
Thaoshocked everyone with an excellent jump of 6.44m to bag a silver medal. She wasdefeated by her Indonesian rival Maria Londa, who recorded a jump of 6.55m. Lanwas the runner-up in the women’s 400m after clocking a time of 52.06secs.
Thao’sbest result in the women’s long jump is 6.68m, which she achieved in the SEAGames last year. Thao’s jump was better than the result that won the ASIAD 2014by 13cm. Inthe run up to Indonesia’s event, Thao has made strides in recent tournaments.
Atthe 2018 Asian IndoorAthletics Championships in Tehran, Iran in February, Thao brought home a goldmedal with 6.2m. At the Chinese Taipei Athletics Open in May, she also tookgold with 6.34m. In the HCM City International Athletics Open in July, she wonwith 6.55m.
“After the HCM City event, Thao’s form isstable and she is ready to take part in the Asian event,” said Thao’s coach,Nguyen Manh Hieu.
“Followingthe HCM City event,my weak points have been repaired. I am in a good mood and expect to gain abetter result in Indonesia,” said Thao.
Accordingto Thao, her husband’s love is also a driving force for her to compete and shewants to take gold in Indonesia as a gift for her husband, Le Van Tien. After ASIAD, Thao plans to retire fromcompetition to become a mother.
Meanwhile, runner Lan will compete in 200m,400m, 400m hurdles, 4 x 400m relay of the women’s team and 4 x 400m of themixed team.-VNA
VNA
