VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnamese top weight lifter Thach Kim Tuan has been placed fifth in the International Weightlifting Federation’s latest rankings. 

Thach Kim Tuan clinched the first Olympic gold for Vietnam at the Youth Olympic Games 2010 in Singapore last August. Tuan lifted a total of 256 kilograms in the men’s 56-kilogram category.

The 16-year-old athlete was the first Vietnamese to win a ticket to the Olympics after his successful performance in the World Youth Weightlifting Championship’s cadet category. Tuan won a gold and two silver medals at the 2009 Junior Asia Championships and three silver medals at the 2009 Junior World Championships.

Chinese athlete Long Qing Quan topped the rankings, followed by Chen Xiong (also from China), Berna Carlos from Colombia and Chadovich Stanislav from Bulgaria.