HCM City athletes were successful on the first day of competitions at the National Swimming Championship in Hanoi on October 18.

National team member Tran Duy Khoi bagged two individual gold medals in the men’s 200m backstroke and 400m IM events, with times of 2min 2.52sec and 4:28.61, respectively.

Two other titles won by the city went to the men’s and women’s team 4x100m freestyle relay.

With four golds and two silvers, HCM City topped the medal tally.

Quang Binh are second with two titles, followed by An Giang with one.

The only gold for An Giang belonged to Vietnamese-American swimmer Le Nguyen Paul in the men’s 50m breaststroke event, with a time of 28.58sec. He also grabbed a silver in the 200m backstroke pool.

Paul is a member of the VN national team. He first competed for VN at last year’s world championship and then at the Rio Olympics in August.

He plans to swim in seven categories at the national tournament before returning to the United States to continue his doctorate degree on global economics and prepare for the 13th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) to be held from December 6 to 11 in Canada.

The Military team failed to taste victory on the first day as golden girl Nguyen Thi Anh Vien is not competing at this competition.

Olympian Vien, who bagged 16 golds and two silvers last year, is sitting on the sidelines because she is being rested for the Asian championship in Tokyo, Japan, next month.

The team of soldiers collected two silvers and three bronzes, and is in sixth place.

The national championship will continue until October 22 at the Aquatic Sports Centre.

VNS