Gymnasts, track stars touch gold

>> Vietnam gymnastic women shine in SEA Games

Their golds helped Vietnam clinch a total of 44 gold, 39 silver and 48 bronze medals after the fifth day of competition.

Thanh, 20, who won a bronze medal at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Tokyo, Japan last month, succeed in the women’s individual vault on November 16, while her teammate Thuong doubled the gold on the uneven bars and balance beam.

In the men’s flood gymnastics, Nguyen Hoang Cuong outclassed tough rivals to win gold, while Pham Phuoc Hung also had a perfect performance to add another gold medal in the men’s ring competition on November 15.

Vietnamese gymnasts Nguyen Ha Thanh and Nguyen Tat Dat also won the men’s high bar and vault, respectively.

On the women’s 800m track, Truong Thanh Hang, who won the women’s 1,500 title on November 13, clocked in 2 minutes and 2.65 seconds to finish first, while Duong Van Thai won the men’s race in 1 minute 49.42 seconds.

Dao Xuan Cuong took the men’s 400m hurdles race with a time in 51.45 seconds, beating Thailand’s Narongdech Janjai, who came in second with a time of 51.60 seconds. Vietnam’s Ha Thi Nguyen claimed a gold medal by winning the final of the women’s taekwondo under-73kg category at the SEA Games in Indonesia on November 15.

Nguyen, who won a silver medal at the previous Games in Laos, defeated Sorn Davin of Cambodia 3-2 for the title. It was the only gold for the taekwondo team on their last day of competition.

Nguyen’s gold was also Vietnam’s 29^th, five days into the Games.

Earlier, fencer Nguyen Thi Tuoi was successful in the women’s foil event beating fellow countrywoman Le Thi Bich in the final.

Vu Thanh An added a silver for the fencing team, losing 14-15 to a Filipino in the men’s sabre final.

Meanwhile markman Tran Quoc Cuong added a gold in the men’s 50m free pistol event. Cuong left his rivals far behind with a total of 650.7 points. It was Cuong’s second medal in Indonesia. The Hai Duong-born shooter had won a bronze in the men’s 10m air rifle.

Teammate Hoang Xuan Vinh came in second with 640.9 points.

Elsewhere, the wrestling team had a good day, pocketing two more golds after Tran Thi Dieu Linh and Tran Van Duc triumphed in the women’s under-55kg category freestyle and men’s under-120kg Graeco-Roman event, respectively.