Nguyen Thanh Ngung qualified for the Brazil Olympics via the 2016 Asian 20km race walking championships in Nomi-shi, Japan on March 20.

Nguyen Thanh Ngung (Photo: vnexpress.net)

Ngung finished the men’s 20km race with a time of 1:23.29, surpassing the Olympic standard of one hour and 24 minutes.

Da Nang’s Ngung also broke his own national record of 1:26.53.

At the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Singapore last year, Ngung ranked fourth with 1:52.12.

Ngung’s sister, “Walking Queen” Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc who won three titles at the SEA Games, couldn’t complete her race due to injury.

Phuc qualified for the 2012 London Olympics after snatching a bronze medal at the same event held in Japan in 2012. The 22-year-old clocked one hour and 35 minutes to successfully qualify as Olympic Standard B.

Phuc has another chance to earn her ticket to Brazil when she competes in Singapore in late April. She needs to clock a time of 1 hour and 36 minutes to qualify for the Olympics.

Vietnam aims to secure 16 to 20 Olympic berths in shooting, athletics, swimming and gymnastics, as well as fencing and weightlifting.

VNA