Sources of pride for Vietnam at 12th ASEAN Para Games

Trinh Thi Bich Nhu (centre) shows her gold medal in the women’s 100m freestyle S6 race at the 12th ASEAN Para Games. (Photo: VNA)

Phnom Penh (VNA) – The delegation of Vietnamese athletes with disabilities has obtained successes beyond expectations at the 12th ASEAN Para Games, scheduled to officially wrap up in Cambodia on late June 9.

By the end of June 8, when competitions of most sports had completed, Vietnam gained 66 gold, 56 silver, and 77 bronze medals. These results helped Vietnam secure the third position on the medal standings, following Indonesia (153 gold medals) and Thailand (123) and much outperforming the fourth-placed Malaysia (46).

These are encouraging results since before the Games started, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Nguyen Hong Minh, head of the Vietnamese delegation to the 12th ASEAN Para Games, had targeted only 50 - 55 gold medals and a place in the top four in the standings.

The results at this year’s Games are also the best earned by disabled athletes of Vietnam at an ASEAN Para Games organised outside the country so far.

Among them, Trinh Thi Bich Nhu broke her previous record of 1 minute and 25.11 seconds to finish first in the women’s 100m freestyle S6 race in 1 minute and 23.77 seconds on June 8. She also became the best swimmer at this year’s Games with five gold medals and three records.

The same day, Danh Hoa showed impressive performance in the men’s 100m freestyle S4 category to pocket a gold medal and set a Games record of 1 minute and 36.23 seconds.

Vietnamese track-and-field athletes gain seven gold medals at the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia. (Photo: tdtt.gov.vn)

While Vietnamese swimmers brought home 11 gold medals, those competing in track-and-field events won seven gold medals. Notably, both Cao Ngoc Hung (men’s javelin throw F57) and his wife Nguyen Thi Hai (women’s discus throw F57) obtained gold medals the same day, on June 7.

The successes of the Vietnamese delegation at the 12th ASEAN Para Games are attributable to efforts by athletes and their coaches.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporter, Trinh Thi Bich Nhu, who competed in different events but still showed strong determination and excellent performance, said she used to feel a complex about herself but she has still exerted utmost efforts to overcome and move forwards.

Vo Van Tung and Truong Bich Van, who respectively won gold medals in the men’s shot put F34 and women’s shot put F56, are other examples. They almost missed the Games since the organising committee unexpectedly had cancelled several categories, but later the organisers resumed some categories due to pressure from many delegations. Both Tung and Van left for Cambodia right in the evening before the competition day and won the top places./.

VNA