Viet Nam’s best female gymnast Phan Thi Ha Thanh has decided to retire from competitive events.

 “I have suffered a lot of injuries which affected my training and competitive ability. I think it is time for me to rest, study more and turn to coaching,” 25-year-old Thanh said

Thanh’s retirement will leave a huge gap in Viet Nam gymnastics, although many young gymnasts are being trained over the past few years to replace veterans.

“We have trained many young aces, however, they still lack international experience. I think they need several more years to shine,” Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, coach of the Viet Nam gymnastics team, said.

Born in the northern port city of Hai Phong, Thanh trained in gymnastics for 19 years and achieved significant international fame.

Thanh became the first gymnast to win a world medal for Viet Nam, winning the bronze on the vault at the 2011 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, thus qualifying to compete at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Thanh also won one silver and one bronze medal at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, in 2014. She won a World Cup title on the balance beam in Osijek, Croatia, in 2014. She also won two gold medals at two World Cup events in Doha and Varna, Bulgaria, in 2015. In addition, she won many gold medals at the SEA Games.

Thanh also competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics. 

VNS