Swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien gets first ever bronze at ASIAD

Swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien made history as she clinched the first ever bronze medal in the swimming event for the Vietnamese sport delegation on the fourth day of competition at the 17th Asian Games (ASIAD) in Incheon, South Korea on September 23.

Meanwhile, wushu athlete Nguyen Thanh Tung took home the bronze in the men’s taijiquan/ taijijian event and his compatriots Ngo Van Sy and Tan Thi Ly also grasped a bronze each in the men and women’s sanda events.

A 17-year-old Vien, who won the gold at the recent Youth Olympics, came third in the women’s 400m individual medley event with 4’39’’65 while Ye Shiwen of China won the gold with 4’32’’97 and the silver belonged to Sakiko Shimizu of Japan with 4’38’’63.

Swimmers Hoang Quy Phuoc and Lam Quang Nhat showed poor performance when they failed to qualify for the finals on September 23 morning. Phuoc just finished sixth with 3’58’’71 while Nhat clocked 4’2’’73 in the qualifying round in the men’s 400m freestyle event.

Wushu athlete Nguyen Thanh Tung also took home the bronze in the men’s taijiquan/taijijian event with 19.24 points, Chen Youli from China won the gold with 19.55 points and Daniel Parantac from the Philippines grasped the silver with 19.26 points.

Hoang Thi Thu Giang failed to take a medal when the SEA Games champion just finished fourth with 9.62 points in the women’s changquan event. Ken Wenkong from China won the gold with 9.75 points, the silver went to Geng Xiaoling from Hong Kong with 9.65 points and bronze medalist Tan Yan Ni from Singapore scored 9.63 points.

In fencing, Nguyen Phuoc Dien, Pham Hung Phuong, Nguyen Tien Nhat and Truong Tran Nhat Minh bagged the bronze in the men’s team epee category as they were defeated 45-25 by Asian Games defending South Korean champions.

In the women’s football event, Vietnam qualified for the last 16 team round with a 5-0 victory over Hong Kong in their fi nal game of the stage competition yesterday. Earlier, Vietnam and Hong Kong were defeated 5-0 each by North Korea in their opening games.

The Vietnamese side dominated the game from the beginning and Wong So Han made her own goal with a header just four minutes into the game. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung doubled for her side in the 34th minute with a penalty kick and Nguyen Thi Xuyen finalized the first half at 3-0 with a penalty kick in the 45th minute.

Nguyen Th i Minh Nguyet netted one more goal when the midfi elder easily beat Hong Kong keeper Wai Nga in the 70th minute before substitution Pham Hai Yen fi nalized the game at 5-0 in the 80th minute.

With the victory, Vietnam ranked second in Group C with three points from one loss and one win and North Korea were leaders with six points. Vietnam will take on arch rivals Thailand in the next round.

With four bronzes on the fourth day of competition, the Vietnamese sport delegation dropped to the 10th position in the medal tally with one gold, two silver and eight bronze medals.

China takes the lead with 40 golds, 21 silvers and 20 bronzes, followed by South Korea with 18 golds, 19 silvers and 21 bronzes and Japan with 16 golds, 22 silvers and 22 bronzes.

The 2014 Asian Games, also known as the 17th ASIAD, which is taking place from September 19 to October 4 in Incheon, South Korea is an Asian multi-sport event held every four years.

Medals Standings (at 10:00 p.m. Vietnamese time)