VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Thanh Ngung added the eighth title in a row to his medal collection after winning at the National Athletics Championships on Wednesday in HCM City.

Nguyen Thanh Ngung of Da Nang takes a gold medal in the men’s 20km walking event at the National Athletics Championships on Wednesday in HCM City. — Photo webthethao.vn

The walker from Da Nang City finished the men’s 20-km event in 1hr 38.21min.

Ngung and teammate Vo Xuan Vinh quickly left the whole group behind to take lead. They were together almost the whole race; Ngung separated away in the last metre to take a gold medal.

Vinh came second with a 4sec time difference.

Vo Nhat Cuong of Quang Ngai secured the third position, clocking 1:46.09.

“Honestly, I have been much stronger than Vinh during the trainings and in the previous competitions. The other athletes of this category were not our worthy rivals. It was not difficult to walk away from him but the race would be less boring having him walking along with me,” Ngung told the Viet Nam News.

“I also tried to set a new record here but the road with small macadams prevented me from doing my best,” he said.

It was the first gold and silver for Da Nang after three days of competitions.

The women’s title went to SEA Games silver holder Phan Thi Bich Ha of Vinh Phuc Province.

Ha has been No 1 in this category after Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc of Da Nang retired last year.

Ha met no difficulty to prove her power against the rest of the athletes. She came first with a time of 1:50:38. Her teammate, Nguyen Thi Thuy Dung, finished third and took a bronze.

Their medals were also the first for their province in HCM City tournament.

Pham Thi Thu Trang of Ha Noi claimed the silver, four minutes after Ha.

It was the only medal of the capital city team but it helped them maintain the top position at the event.

The marathon events saw many runners withdraw. Some of them had health problems while the others were too exhausted to finish 42km.

Bui The Anh and Trinh Quoc Luong of the Military and Vu Van Son of Ninh Binh led the tournament from the beginning. They were neck-to-neck but it was Anh who made a stronger sprint near the finish line and took the men’s gold after 2:44.12.

Son and Luong were second and third, respectively.

The women’s discipline saw a new winner when the reigning champion Hoang Thi Thanh of the Military could not compete because of injury.

Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa of Binh Phuoc came first clocking 3:14.16.

Khanh Hoa’ Nguyen Thuy Y Tien bagged a silver and Le Thi Thoa of the Military earned a bronze.

Ha Noi remained on top of the medal tally with four golds, six silvers and one bronze.

The Military replaced HCM City as the second-placed team, pocketing four golds and four silvers. HCM City was third with three golds and four silvers.

VNS