>>> Fencer secures Vietnam seventh gold medal in Kuala Lumpur
This is the first time “Little mermaid” Vien has won a gold in this event. Minutes earlier, she failed to get a positive result in the area of her strength, the women’s 200m butterfly category.
The 100 m backstroke is not the strength of Vietnamese swimmers in the SEA Games. Singapore’s legendary Tao Li dominated the category in the last six SEA Games. Tao Li defeated Vien in both SEA Games 2011 and 2013. In SEA Games 2015, Vien did not even compete in the event as Tao Li was still there.
The opportunity only came for Vien in Malaysia this year when Tao Li did not attend this category. The Vietnamese came in first with a time of 1:01.89, leaving second place Nurul Fajar Fitriyati from Indonesia far behind with 1:04.10. Anh Vien's result also surpassed the SEA Games record set by Tao Li with 1:02.11.
Vien was moved by this victory. The Vietnamese swimmer seemed to burst in tears on the finishing line. This is her first gold medal at the 29th SEA Games.
Previously, the Vietnamese swimmer was unexpectedly defeated in the women’s 200m butterfly finale. She competed unsuccessfully and finished in fourth place with a time of 2:16.61, less than her qualifying round results. Vien was the reigning champion in this contest. Two years ago in Malaysia, she set a new record with a time of 2:11.12.
Vien’s gold is also the only gold won for Vietnam’s swimming team on the first day competition day at SEA Games 29. Vien has set a target to win ten gold medals at SEA Games 2017, surpassing the eight gold medals achieved in 2015.
Competing with Vien in the same women’s 200m butterfly category, her teammate Le Thi My Thao secured a silver medal with a time of 2:12.61.
Meanwhile, Paul Le Nguyen and Nguyen Huu Kim Son finished third in the men’s 50m backstroke and 400m freestyle events, respectively, in their SEA Games’ debut. Overseas Vietnamese player Paul Le Nguyen also won another bronze in the men’s 50m butterfly.
Vietnamese swimmers also secured another successful day for Vietnam sports delegation at SEA Games 29. On the second official day of competition, the team won additional four golds, two silvers and four bronzes, thus being temporarily ranked third in the medal tally.
August 22 promises to be another “golden” day for the Vietnamese delegation as athletes will compete in several prominent events, including shooting, karate, gymnastics and swimming. In addition, the focus is also on two football matches of U22 Vietnam and the Vietnamese women players.
