Host Vietnam bagged 20 gold medals to come first at the ninth Southeast Asian Taekwondo Championships, after two days of competition in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Philippines placed second with 11 golds and Indonesia came third with 4 golds.

The tournament, opened on June 5, brought together athletes from eight regional countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and host Vietnam.

The championship is seen as an opportunity for Vietnamese athletes to prepare for the 25th SEA Games in Laos in December this year.

Experts predict that Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia will be Vietnam’s major rivals in the medal race in Taekwondo events at the upcoming SEA Games./.