Thach Kim Tuan leads Vietnam to win three tickets to compete at the Brazil Olympics next summer. (Source: VNS) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam's weightlifting team have made history by winning three tickets to compete at the next Olympic Games in Brazil.
The World Championships finished in the US on November 29 morning, and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) announced the final rankings for all participants.
Thach Kim Tuan won a bronze medal in the men's 56kg category, helping the team to finish 20th overall.
Following IWF rules, teams ranked from 19th to 24th receive three berths to the Brazil Games.
It is the first time Vietnam has qualified for three places in a single sport for the Olympics.
Female lifter Vuong Thi Huyen is also expected to earn a place in Rio, after winning a silver and two bronze medals in the 48kg category.
If she doesn't win a place, she still has a chance at the Asian Championships next year in Uzbekistan.
At the 2012 London Olympics, Tran Le Quoc Toan was the only weightlifter to represent Vietnam. He finished fourth in the men's 56kg pool.
Tuan is the country's only lifter to win an Olympic medal, taking silver the men's 56kg class at the Beijing Games in 2008.
Vietnam have six official berths for Rio de Janeiro. Swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien, marksmen Hoang Xuan Vinh and Tran Quoc Cuong, along with the weightlifters.-VNA
