Nguyen Thi Anh Vien has broken five Southeast Asian Games records in just two days to make a perfect start on the path to her record six gold medals.

Vien has outperformed her competitors at the 28th SEA Games with two records in less than an hour on June 7 to help Vietnam consolidate its second place in the overall ranking of the regional competition.

Vietnam grabbed six more gold medals on the second day of the 28th SEA Games in Singapore to remain in the second place with a total of 21 golds, eight silvers and 20 bronzes after Singapore.

Hosts Singapore won 26 golds, 20 silvers and 37 bronzes while Thailand ranked third with 20 golds, 24 silvers and 19 bronzes. Indonesia came fourth and Malaysia was the fifth.

In the women’s 200m individual medley competition, Vien had no rivals as she clocked at the SEA Games record of 2’13’’53. The silver went to Pawapotako Phiangkhwan of Thailand with 2’18’’56 and the bronze to Yeo Samantha Louisa Ginn of Singapore with 2’18’’77.

Earlier, Vien broke the SEA Games record in the women’s 200m backstroke event when she finished in 2’14’’12. Yosaputra Yessy Venesia of Indonesia won the silver with 2’17’’17 and Yu Roxanne Ashley of the Philippines grasped the bronze with 2’18’’45.

However, Vien failed to win the medal in the women’s 50m butterfly competition the day earlier as she just came fourth at 27’’67, behind gold medalist Tao Li of Singapore with 26’’28.

So far, the 18-year-old broke five SEA Games records in two days. Vien also broke two Southeast Asian Games records on Saturday, she bagged gold in the women’s 400m individual medley in a SEA Games record time of 4’42”88. Th ai swimmer Pawapotako Phiangkhwan came second in 4’52”63.

Earlier, Vien also broke her own record in the qualifying round of the women’s 400m individual medley competition with 4’43’’93.

Vien took the gold medal of the women’s 800m freestyle later in the day in the SEA Games record time of 8’34”85. Th e silver went to Himathongkom Ammiga of Th ailand 8’52”99 while Vien’s teammate Le Thi My Thao finished fifth with 9’12’’54.

Vien won six medals, including three golds, at the last SEA Games two years ago but announced her arrival on the world stage when she won the girl’s 200 individual medley final at last year’s Youth Olympics in China.

Hoang Quy Phuoc failed to win gold in yesterday’s competition as he just won bronze in the men’s 100m freestyle event.

Record-breaking swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien of Vietnam is seen at the SEA Games in Singapore - PHOTO: TTXVN

On Saturday, Phuoc was named as the SEA Games record breaker as he netted gold in the men’s 200m freestyle event in 1’48”96 ahead of silver medalist Singapore Quah Zheng Wen of Singapore in 1’49”17. Bronze medalist Sim Welson Wee Sheng of Malaysia fi nished in 1’50”73.

Asian Games (ASIAD) winner Duong Th uy Vy scooped the gold in the women’s optional straight sword event after fi nishing at 9.70 points yesterday, Phoon Eyin of Malaysia won silver with 9.68 points and her compatriot Cheah Aggie Ruey Shin pocketed bronze with 9.63 points.

Vy just bagged the bronze in the women’s optional changquan in later she fi nished in 9.69 points while the gold medalist Mui Wei Ting Zoe of Singapore came fi rst at 9.71 points.

Tran Thi Minh Huyen netted the silver in the women’s optional taijiquan event with 9.69 points behind gold medalist Lindswell of Indonesia with 9.73 points while Tran Xuan Hiep grasped the bronze in the men’s optional changquan competition with 9.68 points, behind gold medalist Yong Yi Xiang of Singapore with 9.70 points and silver medalist Lukman Aldy of Indonesia with 9.69 points.

Pham Quoc Khanh secured one silver medal in the men’s optional nan quan + nan gun event on June 7 for Vietnam’s sporting delegation.

Khanh came second with 9.70 points, behind gold medalist Horatius Harris of Indonesia 9.71 points while Khanh’s compatriot Cao Khac Dat fi nished third with 9.68 points.

In the shooting game, Tran Quoc Cuong took the gold of the men’s 10m air pistol event after finishing at 197.4 points on June 7. The silver went to Wong Johnathan Guanjie of Malaysia with 195.1 points and Cuong’s teammate Hoang Xuan Vinh just netted the bronze with 178.2 points. Cuong, Vinh and Nguyen Hoang Phuong also brought home the gold in the men’s 10m air pistol team when they beat Thai and Singaporean teams in the final, the Vietnamese team collected 1,727 points, Thai team and Singaporean team fi nished in 1,074 points and 1,603 points respectively.

Nguyen Thi Nhu Y knocked out Aung Aye Aye of Myanmar by Ippon points to win the second gold for Vietnam’s judo team in the women’s 70-78 kg category yesterday. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy took the fi rst gold after beating Phonenaly Phonenaly of Laos in the women’s under 52 kg category on Saturday.

Vietnamese athletes dominated in the fencing when winning two golds in the men’s and women’s team events. Bui Van Tai, Nguyen Xuan Loi, To Duc Anh and Vu Thanh An beat Indonesian team 45-30 in the fi nal game of the men’s team sabre and Nguyen Phuoc  Den, Nguyen Tien Nhat, Nguyen Van Thang and Pham Hung Duong defeated Singaporean team 44-43 in the men’s team epée final.

So far, the fencing team has clinched six golds, two bronzes and one bronze, surpassing their original target.

Vietnam qualify for semifi nals after 4-0 win over Timor Leste

* The U-23 Vietnam football squad crushed Timor Leste 4-0 in their fourth game at Bishan Stadium yesterday to enter the semifi nals of the men’s football competition at the 28th SEA Games though they still have one game ahead against Thailand.

The Vietnamese team dominated the game from the beginning and midfielder Tran Phi Son opened in the 11th minute with a header.

Striker Mac Hong Quan made it 2-0 in the 50th minute, midfielder Que Ngoc Hai netted a goal in the 57th minute and midfi elder Nguyen Huy Toan finalized the game at 4-0 in the 61st minute.

Thailand, who crushed Brunei 5-0 on Saturday, now have 12 points each but Vietnam tops the Group B thanks to goal diff erence. Malaysia, Laos and Timor Leste have three points each while Brunei have no point.

Vietnam take on Thailand in their final game in the group stage for the top position of the group at 7:15 p.m. at Bishan Stadium on Wednesday.

SGT