Hung wins gold at Challenger Cup

Vietnamese male gymnast Pham Phuoc Hung won a gold medal at the FIG Artistic Gymnastic Challenge Cup in Ghent, Belgium on Sunday.

Hung defeated seven strong rivals, including Zonderland Epke of the Netherlands and China's Lui Rongbing, to score 15,925 points in the final round of men's parallel bars.

Hung attributed his hard training to his victory. In the coming time, he will actively prepare for the summer Olympics in London.

Earlier, 20-year-old Phan Thi Ha Thanh also secured a bronze medal in the women's vault after losing to China and Chile's rivals in the final.

A total of 168 gymnasts representing 39 different countries have registered for this annual tournament.

Both Hung and Thanh secured places to compete in the London Olympic Games.

Hung earned a place in the men's all-round competition at the qualifying event held in England last November. The Hai Phong woman's bronze medal at the world event made her the first Vietnamese gymnast to secure a direct ticket to London. — VNS