Huu Viet wins first gold at swimming champs
Southeast Asian Games gold medallist Nguyen Huu Viet won his first gold medal at the National Short-Course Swimming Championships in Hue on Wednesday.

Even though Olympian Viet was still recovering from injury, none of his competitors could keep up with him in the final of the men's 50m breaststroke which he completed in 29.40. However, Viet failed to break his own national record of 27.48.

In the men's 100m medley, teenager Hoang Quy Phuoc of Da Nang defeated Do Huy Long of Ha Noi to take gold with a time of 59.74.

Phuoc also won gold in the men's 100m and the 50m medley.

After four days of competition, HCM City lead the medals table with 15 golds, 10 silvers and six bronzes, followed by Da Nang with 10 golds, three silvers and six bronzes.


Megastar United favourites for First Division berth


Megastar United team will field a new-look team in the Second Division football championship that starts on April 5, coach Nguyen Van Nha told Viet Nam News yesterday, March 24.

The division consists of 18 teams competing in three groups. The winners of each group along with the best second placed team then compete in a play-off format from which the top two win promotion to the First Division.

Following the draw yesterday, March 24, Megastar United are in Group A with Public Security, Dac Lac, Ha Tinh, Quang Ngai and SHB Da Nang.

The Ha Noi-based team, which was formed from the Nam Dinh U-19 team of last year, has recruited a new 20-member squad for the championship next month.

"We have strong team and we're aiming for promotion this year. Last year, the team missed out on a chance to climb to the First Division with a second placed finish in Group A," said Nha, the former coach and maestro of Ha Noi Police.


Ngoc Linh wins gold at World Muay Thai Championships


Vietnamese kickboxer Phan Thi Ngoc Linh has brought home his first ever gold medal from the World Semi-Professional Muay Thai Championships in Thailand, which finished on Wednesday.

Linh crushed her rival Meralio of Brazil in the first round of the final in the women's under 57kg category.

On Sunday, Southeast Asian Games silver medallist Linh from HCM City also won gold at the eighth World Amateur Muay Thai Championships in Bangkok.

Asian Indoor Games gold medallists Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat and Van Dai also got to the final in the men's under 57kg and 60kg, respectively, but they lost to their Thai rivals.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News