VietNamNet Bridge – Swimmer Vo Thanh Tung won a double title yesterday at the Malaysian ninth ParaGames in Kuala Lumpur.

Vo Thanh Tung poses with his third swimming gold in Malaysia. — Photo courtesy Thai Duong

Tung first won in the men’s S5 100m backstroke event, with a time of 1min 26.77sec, which was the new Games record.

The 32-year-old beat the nine-year-old record of 1:36.80 made by Abdullah Zul Amirul of Malaysia in Thailand in 2008.

Tung was followed by Zul Amirul Sidi and Jamery, both of the host country.

An hour later, the Vietnamese took part in the S5 50m freestyle and finished first, clocking in at 34.50sec, equal to the Games record he has held since 2011.

The silver went to Malaysian Syaiful, and Indonesian Myliadi took the bronze.

To date, Tung has won three gold medals and set two records. The first title and record were in the S5 200m freestyle on Tuesday.

His female teammate, Trinh Thi Bich Nhu, completed her ParaGames with the second title in the SB5 50m freestyle event yesterday.

Nhu swam 37.43m, winning the gold medal and setting a new record for the event. The old record was 44.28sec, set by Gusmalayanti of Indonesia in 2011. The Rio Paralympics participant has established her dominance in this event since 2011.

Vi Thi Hang, another Vietnamese, came second, with K Pattra from Thailand coming in third.

Nhu’s first gold was in the S5 100m breaststroke on Wednesday. Her time of 1:55.47 was the new record.

The fourth gold of Thursday went to Vo Huynh Anh Khoa in the men’s S9 50m freestyle. He clocked in at 28.16sec.

Vietnamese athletes also secured five silvers and four bronzes in swimming.

Tung, Nhu and two other teammates, Nguyen Thanh Trung and Do Thanh Hai, will take part in the World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico, which will kick off on September 29.

While Tung, the Paralympic silver holder, only targets a bronze at the Mexico City tournament, Nhu has set a higher goal of at least a silver.

Nguyen Thi Hai competes in the women’s F56/57 shot put. She pockets her third title in the ParaGames. — Photo courtesy Nam Trung

In track-and-field events, Nguyen Thi Hai made her hat-trick with a title in the women’s F56/57 shot put at the Bukit Jalil Stadium.

Her put of 8.06m in the first attempt was enough to win her the third title in her three events in Kuala Lumpur.

P Chaithongrat of Thailand and Seriwati from Indonesia came second and third, respectively.

Hai’s first two titles were in the F56/57 javelin and discus categories.

Earlier, Kieu Minh Trung won a title in the men’s F55 javelin throw, with a score of 27.35m.

Trung beat rivals Riadi Saputra of Indonesia (24.66m) and Shari Haji Juma’at of Brunei (24.59m).

Truong Bich Van also stepped on the top podium of the women’s F55 discus, with a throw of 20.17m.

Htet Htet Aye from Myanmar and Jesebel Tordecilla of the Philippines were second and third, respectively.

Later, Tran Van Nguyen placed first in the men’s F40/41 shot put, with an 8.37m result. Tran Thi Tu started the day with a silver in the women’s F54 discus, throwing 12.42m. 

Other medalists were Vu Thi Kim Thuy, with two bronzes, in the women’s F12 javelin and long jump; Phan Van Dung, with a bronze, in the men’s F44 shot put; Phung Dinh Tu, with a bronze, in the men’s T46 400m; and Vo Thi Thu Thuan, with a bronze, in the women’s F42/44 javelin. 

VNS