VietNamNet Bridge – Gymnastic was among the most successful sport of Vietnam at the Southeast Asian Games 2011, with 11 gold medals. In 2012, gymnasts will be the first Vietnamese athletes who will compete for more tickets to the Olympic London.



Gymnast Do Ngan Thuong.


In late 2011, good news came to the national gymnastic team when the team’s coach and gymnast Ha Thanh topped the list of outstanding athletes and coaches of the year. However, that is only the tip.

Returning from SEA Games 2011, gymnastic team is one of several national sports squads that has immediately practiced without a weekend.

Asking “Doll” Ngan Thuong before she participates in the second qualifier round of the Olympic 2012 (January 10-18) in the UK, Thuong said: “My injury has been eased up. I cannot confirm whether I can win a ticket to London or not because this is a world competition. But I and my teammate Phuoc Hung will try our best.”

The Vietnamese gymnastic team this time will include coaches Truong Tuan Hien, Do Thuy Giang, a Chinese expert and two gymnasts, Ngan Thuong and Pham Phuoc Hung. The team left Hanoi on January 6.

Head of the gymnastic division Nguyen Kim Lan and coach Do Thuy Giang said that Vietnamese gymnasts would have to take your chance, though it is difficult.

Before leaving Vietnam, Ngan Thuong and Phuoc Hung practiced the last exercises at the instruction of coaches Giang, Hien and a Chinese expert. Coaches highly praised Thuong and Hung for their great effort and determination.

At the second qualifier round, athletes from 30 countries around the world will compete for 34 tickets for female gymnasts and 27 for male. It is forecast that the competition will not be too tough because many outstanding gymnasts won official tickets last year at the world championships, such as Vietnam’s Ha Thanh who won a bronze medal.

Vietnamese coaches said that Phuoc Hung’s opportunity is bigger than Ngan Thuong’s, based on the ability of their rivals and Thuong’s wound. Gymnasts will have to perform various exercises, which require physical strength.

According to the International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG), countries are permitted to send only one male and one female gymnast who achieve the best results to the second qualifier round. Phuoc Hung and Ngan Thuong satisfied the condition. Thuong won two gold medals and Hung got one at the SEA Games 2011.

In 2008, Ngan Thuong attended the Olympic by an exceptional ticket. However, Vietnam may not have such a ticket this year because Ha Thanh won an official ticket already.

Dinh Hung