Swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien wins six gold and two silver medals at this year’s SEA Games.

As the most successful athlete in the 30th SEA Games, who won the most gold medals in individual competitions, the female swimmer collected six gold medals and two silver ones, as she set out to win at least eight golds in this year’s biennial multi-sport event.

Thanks to her excellent performance, Vien will be honoured by the organisers at the closing ceremony, according to information from the Vietnam Olympic Committee.

The organisers have not revealed which award Vien will receive, but the Can Tho city’s native is likely to be honoured as "the most outstanding athlete of the 2019 SEA Games". At the 28th SEA Games, Olympic champion Joseph Schooling was awarded with the reward. The Singaporean swimmer only won four golds at this year’s event, but three of them are in relay contents.

On Monday evening, Vien competed in her final event in the 2019 SEA Games in 800m freestyle. The Vietnamese “little mermaid” came in second after 8:48.65, losing gold medallist Gan Ching Hwee from Singapore (8:41.48). 

Anh Vien is not as good as she was when she won eight gold medals at the 29th SEA Games two year ago, but six gold and two silver medals this year is still an extremely excellent achievement by the "little mermaid".

Vien won a total of six gold medals (100m and 200m backstroke, 200m and 400m freestyle, and 200m and 400m individual medley) and two silvers (50m backstroke and 800m freestyle) in 10 registered contents. Her performance is not as good as at the 29th SEA Games (eight gold medals) two year ago, but six gold and two silver medals this year is still an excellent achievement by the "little mermaid".

At the 30th SEA Games, the Vietnamese swimming team won a total of 10 gold, six silver and nine bronze medals.

Also at the closing ceremony, the host nation will hand over the SEA Games flag to the Vietnamese sports delegation, who will be the next hosts for the 31st SEA Games in 2021. 

As planned, besides the ceremony of receiving the flag, the 31st SEA Games hosts will introduce a special art programme featuring the Vietnam’s country, people and culture to the regional friends, with unique music and dance performances, imbued with national identity and modern features. Nhan Dan

Minh Phu

SEA Games 30: Vietnam wins 80 golds after nine days

The Vietnamese sports delegation won a total of 14 gold medals on December 9, the ninth competition day of the ongoing 30th SEA Games in the Philippines, bringing the total to 80 so far, surpassing the target of 65.