Vietnam’s Paralympic heroes warmly welcomed home

NDO—The Vietnam disability sports delegation to the 2016 Rio Paralympics landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on September 21 to a warm welcome from sports officials, donors and home fans.

Paralympic gold medallist Le Van Cong is greeted by relatives at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
Paralympic gold medallist Le Van Cong is greeted by relatives at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

>>> Paralympics 2016: Vietnam wins first-ever gold, breaks world record

Vietnam sent 22 members to Rio, including eleven athletes competing in three sports: athletics, swimming and powerlifting.

After eleven days of competition, Vietnamese para-athletes won a total of one gold by powerlifter Le Van Cong, one silver by swimmer Vo Thanh Tung and two bronze medals by javelin-thrower Cao Ngoc Hung and female lifter Dang Thi Linh Phuong, making this Vietnam’s most successful Paralympics ever.

In the “encirclement” of welcomers, Le Van Cong, who bagged the historic Paralympic gold for Vietnam, expressed his happiness and gratitude for the interest of so many people on the day of his return.

Deputy Director of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training Pham Van Tuan, head of the Vietnam delegation to Rio, attributed their success to the contributions of the entire society.

The significant results of the Rio Paralympics would function as an impetus for over seven million people with disabilities in Vietnam to overcome physical impairment and make contributions to the development of the society, he noted.