Vietnamese star swimmers Nguyen Thi Anh Vien and Hoang Quy Phuoc set anew record for Vietnamese swimming at the Southeast Asian Games bothearning gold medals to help Vietnam clock five gold medals at theSoutheast Asian (SEA) Games for the first time .
Inthe women's IM event, teen star swimmer Vien showed unrivaled power asshe shot forward from the start to establish a set lead and never lookedback, before heading to the finish to touch the clock pad with a timeof 4:46.16. The time also shattered the old record of 4:50.88 set byThai Natthanan Junkrajang at the Games in Indonesia two years ago. Thisis the second record Vien set at the Games, following her first recordin the women's 200m backstroke.
With the gold medal,Vien set a new mark in Vietnam's swimming history by becoming thefirst-ever Vietnamese to win three gold medals, two silvers and onebronze in one singles Games in its 54-year history of the country'scompeting in the Games.
Two years ago in Indonesia,Hoang Quy Phuoc became the first swimmer to win two gold medals and onebronze in one singles Games.
After the failure ofdefending this gold medal in the men's 100m freestyle, receiving insteada silver medal, and also winning another silver in the men's 400mfreestyle, Phuoc bounced back to successfully defend his gold medalyesterday afternoon in yet another of his favourite events, the 200mfreestyle.
Phuoc shrugged off a challenge fromMalaysian opponent Henry Bego to finish first after completing thecourse, with a time of 1:50.64 to win Vietnam's 43rd gold medal. Begowas second with 1:51.10 and Quah Zheng Wen of Singapore came in third at1:51.66.
In track and field competition, thediminutive girl and barefoot marathon runner Pham Thi Binh overcame hercongenital heart disease to bring home the country's first gold medal inthe athletic competition.
The Asian silvermedallist emerged in the stadium alone and dashed towards the finishline without being challenged before crossing the finish line with herbest personal time of 2:45.34.
It was an extremelyconvincing victory for the 24-year-old runner, who has been widely knownas a barefoot marathon runner due to her habit of running withoutshoes, though she once faced the risk of giving up her career afterbeing diagnosed with having heart disease.
Butfollowing a successful heart surgery in 2010, Binh magically felt herhealth returning to normal, allowing her to return to running.
"When I was diagnosed as having heart problems and had to have a surgery, I felt very sad," she said.
"But as if by magic, I recovered my full health after the surgery andthe doctor declared that I was fit to run again," she said.
Binh's success also came at the right time to end the country'sdrought of gold medals, which seemed to linger, as some favourtitesevents, such as the women's 400m and the men's pole vault, failed toproduce gold medals.
"Binh showed her brilliancetoday and exceeded expectations," Duong Duc Thuy, head of the NationalSports Administration's Athletics Department, said in discussing Binh'svictory.
Track and field athletes also brought homeanother silver medal in the women's 4x100m relay, as Vu Thi Huong,Nguyen Ngoc Tham, Mai Thi Phuong and Do Thi Quyen finished in secondplace.
Meanwhile, in weightlifting, Tran Van Hoa wona silver medal after lifting 345kg, including 157kg in snatches and188kg in clean and jerk, to finish second in the men's 94kg category.
In cycling, at the men's team 100km time trial, MaiNguyen Hung, Le Van Duan, Trinh Duc Tam and Nguyen Thanh Tam won thefirst gold medal for Vietnam
in this category.
While in archery, ace Nguyen Tien Cuong lived up to expectations towin the first gold medal for the country in the event by defeating hisThai opponent 138-132 in the final.
In rowing, LeThi An and Tran Thi Sam won a gold medal in the women's lightweightdouble scull event when, the duo completed the race in 8:02.96, 10seconds ahead the Mynamar pair.
In the double scullwith two oars, Pham Thi Thao and Pham Thi Hai had to settle for a silvermedal after finishing behind the Indonesia duo.
Inthe men's 2000m, Nguyen Dinh Huy, Duong Thanh Binh, Pham Minh Chinh andNguyen Van Linh brought home a silver medal with a time of 6:51.51,after allowing Indonesian rowers to overtake them on the last straight.
In sepak takraw, Vietnam won a bronze medal, after losing to Myanmar in the semifinals.
And in women's volleyball, Vietnam lost 3-0 to Thailand, but still remain in the final four.
Make or break
Meanwhile, in the men's football competition, Vietnam will faceMalaysia in a do-or-die match today at Zayyarthiri Stadium in Myanmar'scapital of Naypyitaw.
With Singapore alreadysecuring a ticket to the semi-final, Vietnam and Malaysia will have tobattle for the remaining spot.
At just one pointbehind Malaysia, Vietnam will be included in the final four if they beatMalaysia, which only need a draw to go to the semi-finals.
The task will be tough, but coach Hoang Van Phuc believe his players know how to beat Malaysia.
"The 5-0 victory over Laos revitalised our players' spirit and madethem feel more relaxed and confident. I believe Vietnam will beatMalaysia," Phuc said before today's match.-VNA
Inthe women's IM event, teen star swimmer Vien showed unrivaled power asshe shot forward from the start to establish a set lead and never lookedback, before heading to the finish to touch the clock pad with a timeof 4:46.16. The time also shattered the old record of 4:50.88 set byThai Natthanan Junkrajang at the Games in Indonesia two years ago. Thisis the second record Vien set at the Games, following her first recordin the women's 200m backstroke.
With the gold medal,Vien set a new mark in Vietnam's swimming history by becoming thefirst-ever Vietnamese to win three gold medals, two silvers and onebronze in one singles Games in its 54-year history of the country'scompeting in the Games.
Two years ago in Indonesia,Hoang Quy Phuoc became the first swimmer to win two gold medals and onebronze in one singles Games.
After the failure ofdefending this gold medal in the men's 100m freestyle, receiving insteada silver medal, and also winning another silver in the men's 400mfreestyle, Phuoc bounced back to successfully defend his gold medalyesterday afternoon in yet another of his favourite events, the 200mfreestyle.
Phuoc shrugged off a challenge fromMalaysian opponent Henry Bego to finish first after completing thecourse, with a time of 1:50.64 to win Vietnam's 43rd gold medal. Begowas second with 1:51.10 and Quah Zheng Wen of Singapore came in third at1:51.66.
In track and field competition, thediminutive girl and barefoot marathon runner Pham Thi Binh overcame hercongenital heart disease to bring home the country's first gold medal inthe athletic competition.
The Asian silvermedallist emerged in the stadium alone and dashed towards the finishline without being challenged before crossing the finish line with herbest personal time of 2:45.34.
It was an extremelyconvincing victory for the 24-year-old runner, who has been widely knownas a barefoot marathon runner due to her habit of running withoutshoes, though she once faced the risk of giving up her career afterbeing diagnosed with having heart disease.
Butfollowing a successful heart surgery in 2010, Binh magically felt herhealth returning to normal, allowing her to return to running.
"When I was diagnosed as having heart problems and had to have a surgery, I felt very sad," she said.
"But as if by magic, I recovered my full health after the surgery andthe doctor declared that I was fit to run again," she said.
Binh's success also came at the right time to end the country'sdrought of gold medals, which seemed to linger, as some favourtitesevents, such as the women's 400m and the men's pole vault, failed toproduce gold medals.
"Binh showed her brilliancetoday and exceeded expectations," Duong Duc Thuy, head of the NationalSports Administration's Athletics Department, said in discussing Binh'svictory.
Track and field athletes also brought homeanother silver medal in the women's 4x100m relay, as Vu Thi Huong,Nguyen Ngoc Tham, Mai Thi Phuong and Do Thi Quyen finished in secondplace.
Meanwhile, in weightlifting, Tran Van Hoa wona silver medal after lifting 345kg, including 157kg in snatches and188kg in clean and jerk, to finish second in the men's 94kg category.
In cycling, at the men's team 100km time trial, MaiNguyen Hung, Le Van Duan, Trinh Duc Tam and Nguyen Thanh Tam won thefirst gold medal for Vietnam
in this category.
While in archery, ace Nguyen Tien Cuong lived up to expectations towin the first gold medal for the country in the event by defeating hisThai opponent 138-132 in the final.
In rowing, LeThi An and Tran Thi Sam won a gold medal in the women's lightweightdouble scull event when, the duo completed the race in 8:02.96, 10seconds ahead the Mynamar pair.
In the double scullwith two oars, Pham Thi Thao and Pham Thi Hai had to settle for a silvermedal after finishing behind the Indonesia duo.
Inthe men's 2000m, Nguyen Dinh Huy, Duong Thanh Binh, Pham Minh Chinh andNguyen Van Linh brought home a silver medal with a time of 6:51.51,after allowing Indonesian rowers to overtake them on the last straight.
In sepak takraw, Vietnam won a bronze medal, after losing to Myanmar in the semifinals.
And in women's volleyball, Vietnam lost 3-0 to Thailand, but still remain in the final four.
Make or break
Meanwhile, in the men's football competition, Vietnam will faceMalaysia in a do-or-die match today at Zayyarthiri Stadium in Myanmar'scapital of Naypyitaw.
With Singapore alreadysecuring a ticket to the semi-final, Vietnam and Malaysia will have tobattle for the remaining spot.
At just one pointbehind Malaysia, Vietnam will be included in the final four if they beatMalaysia, which only need a draw to go to the semi-finals.
The task will be tough, but coach Hoang Van Phuc believe his players know how to beat Malaysia.
"The 5-0 victory over Laos revitalised our players' spirit and madethem feel more relaxed and confident. I believe Vietnam will beatMalaysia," Phuc said before today's match.-VNA
