Thuy Vi wins VN's first ASIAD gold

Number one: Duong Thuy Vi of Viet Nam performs in the women's qiangshu event during the Asian Games in Incheon. Vi was the first Vietnamese athlete to win a gold medal at the competition. - VNS Photo Tuan Tu

The 22-year-old triumphed in the women's jianshu and qiangshu all-round event of wushu, topping the podium with 19.41 points.

Li Yi of Macau came second with 19.39 points, followed by Seo Hee-ju of South Korea with 19.24.

Vi performed outstandingly at jianshu (swordsmanship). She easily took the lead with 9.7 points.

In the second event, qiangshu (spear), she suffered a little heavier pressure from Li who ranked second after the first event, just 0.02 points less than the Hanoian girl.

Li was also a former world silver medallist.

It was a good day for the Vietnamese girl who last December won two golds at the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.

Her performance received 9.7 points and she continued to temporally stay on top of the ranking.

Li, having the advantage of competing after Vi, could not do it better. She also scored the same result as Vi and was happy with second place.

Vi will be the first athlete to win a bonus of VND120 million (US$5,700) from the Government and sponsors for her gold in Incheon.

In the men's daoshu (broadsword) and qiangshu all-round, Nguyen Manh Quyen grabbed a bronze medal with 19.33 points.

Chinese Sun Peiyuan took a gold (19.54) and Lee Yong-Hyun of the host (19.36) earned a silver.

In other news, the Vietnamese shooting team made disappointing show yesterday, failing to take any medals in the men's 10m air pistol.

Viet Nam had three marksmen competing. However world record holder Hoang Xuan Vinh, one of Viet Nam's golden hopes, performed poorly, coming seventh from a field of eight. His less-known teammate Tran Quoc Cuong was sixth.

Vinh scored only 98.4 points, much lower than the record of 202.8 that he set in the US in March.

In sepak takraw, Viet Nam lost 19-21, 16-21 to Laos in the semi-final match of the women's doubles and took a bronze.

Earlier, fencers Vu Thanh An and Nguyen Xuan Loi, both were stopped at the last-16 round of the men's individual sabre event.

Male gymnasts also failed to win medals. They ranked fifth in the team all-round event.

Swimmer Hoang Quy Phuoc earned a place in the men's 200m freestyle, but could not make top three.

In rowing, Le Thi An, Pham Thi Hue, Pham Thi Thao and Pham Thi Hai entered tomorrow's final of the women's quadruple skulls event after qualifying in top position.

In the first day of competition on Saturday, Vietnamese marksmen brought home one silver medal and a bronze.

ASIAD debutant Nguyen Hoang Phuong took the first silver in the men's individual 50m pistol event.

Phuong and teammates previously combined to win a bronze in the team event.

Weightlifter Thach Kim Tuan failed to make a gold in the men's 56kg category as expected, but he set a games record in the snatch event with a lift of 134kg, 1kg better than Wu Jangbiao of China four years ago.

Tuan faced a strong rival from North Korea, Om Yun-choi, who performed outstandingly, setting a new Asian and world record with a total lift of 298kg.

Tuan was second with a lift of 294kg, which becomes his personal best. Wu was at third on 288kg.

After two days of competitions, Viet Nam secured one gold, two silver and four bronze medals.