Swimmer Pham Thanh Bao (centre) stands on the podium (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam had claimed 125 gold, 76 silverand 74 bronze medals as of May 18 evening, the sixth official competition dayof the ongoing SEA Games 31, retaining the top position in the medal table.
The host country is getting closer to its set target of 140golds.
Thailand ranked second with 53 golds, followed by the Philippineswith 37.
On the day, the Vietnamese athletics team won three moregold medals in the women’s javelin throw, women’s 10,000m and women’s 4x400m,raising the number in the sport to 19 and surpassing the target of 15-17.
Runner Nguyen Thi Oanh obtained triple golds in the women’s1,000m; 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase, in which she broke her own record setin the previous SEA Games.
Swimmers continued to excite home fans as Ben Tre-born PhamThanh Bao won the eighth gold for Vietnam in the men’s 50m breaststroke,beating strong rivals from Indonesia and Singapore. It was also his second goldat this year’s Games.
Previously, Nguyen Huy Hoang bagged a gold in the 1,500mfreestyle, and triumphed and set a new SEA Games record in the men’s 400m freestyle.
Tran Huy Nguyen did the same in the men’s 400m individualmedley.
Vietnamese wrestlers have clinched 12 gold medals so far.
On May 18 afternoon, Nguyen Thi Phuong secured a gold in thewomen’s individual kata in karate. Of note, it was the 1,000th gold medal forthe Vietnamese delegation at the regional sporting events.
SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, isbeing held in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities until May 23.
It features 40 sports with 523 events, attracting around10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 butdelayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic./.
