Swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien is Vietnam's 16th athlete to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: baodantoc.vnm) Vien received aninvitation from the International Swimming Federation (FINA) on July 2.
The talented athlete failed to qualify via performance after the cancellationand postponement of many competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and2021.
Recently, the National Age Groups Swimming Championship, which was for thefirst time accepted as an Olympic qualification tournament, was cancelledbecause of the pandemic. It was set to be held in May in HCM City and was thelast chance for Vietnamese athletes to claim Olympic slots.
Vien will take part in the women’s 200m and 800m freestyle events, which shehas recorded FINA personal bests of 2min 0.75sec and 8:48.65, respectively.
As a rule, every country that has one A-standard-qualified athlete will begiven one more slot for an athlete of a different gender.
Previously, Nguyen Huy Hoang was the first Vietnamese swimmer to wina berth to Tokyo. He will compete in the men’s 800m and 1,500m freestylecategories.
Vien has been invited as she has reached B-standard in the 800m freestyle and400m individual medley.
She took part in two Olympics in London’s 200m backstroke and 400m individualmedley in 2012, and Rio de Janeiro’s 300m individual medley, 400m individualmedley and 400m freestyle in 2016.
Vien is the most talented swimmer of Vietnam and has dominated in thenational, regional tournaments and the SEA Games for many years.
At the 2020 national championship, she pocketed 14 in 17 golds for the Militaryteam who topped the rankings.
At April's national short course championship in Hue, Vien earned 17titles in both individual and team events.
Over the last five SEA Games, she has won 25 golds, nine silvers and twobronzes.
Internationally, shesecured golds in the Asian Youth Games, Southeast Asian championship and YouthOlympics, along with silvers and bronzes from the World Cup, Asian Games andAsian championship.
Vietnam hope to send 20 athletes to Tokyo. With Vien’s invitation, they havereached 16 in swimming, gymnastics, shooting, boxing, archery, badminton, rowing,weightlifting and taekwondo./.
VNA
