VietNamNet Bridge – Top Vietnamese  won his third gold medal at the National Swimming Championship held in the National Aquatics Centre on Tuesday.
The Southeast Asian record holder in the men's 100m breaststroke easily won the 200m event with a time of 2:22.39, followed by rising star Nguyen Tien Hung of the Army team and Le Tran Quoc Tuan of HCM City.

However, the Hai Phong-born swimmer who suffers from asthma was some way off his personal best of 2:15.25. Viet, however, remained upbeat, saying he would be fit for the upcoming 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia this November.

Meanwhile, young talent Hoang Quy Phuoc, the first Vietnamese athlete to secure a place at the London 2012 Olympics, continued to perform outstandingly. The 17-year-old won gold and set a new record in the men's 50m freestyle with a time of 23.33, beating his old record of 23.43 which he set last year.

Nguyen Van Dat of Thanh Hoa and Duong Thanh Minh of the Army were the runners-up with times of 24.33 and 24.60.

Da Nang-based Phuoc has won a total of four gold medals and set three new national records at the event, having already broken the 100m freestyle and 200m medley records.

The fourth day of competition also saw an interesting match up in in the women's 50m backstroke. Although young talent Nguyen Thi Anh Vien from the Army swam her heart out, she couldn't overcome experienced veteran Duong Thi Thom of Quang Ninh, and finished second with a time of 31.44. Thom won gold with a time of 30.38, while Pham Le Hong Hanh of HCM City took the bronze medal in a time of 32.17.

Phuoc's efforts have helped his team take the lead after four days of competition with nine golds, five silvers and two bronzes followed by the Army and HCM City.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News