Viet Nam team fails to medal

HA NOI (VNS)— Viet Nam returned empty-handed from the London Paralympics but swimmer Vo Thanh Tung set an Asian record in his 100m freestyle S5 event yesterday.

Tung finished sixth out of eight in the final in 1:19.83, breaking the continental record of 1:24.69 held by Japanese Takayuki Suzuki since 2009.

The last competitor from Viet Nam was Cao Ngoc Hung who came fourth in the men's javelin F57/58 event with a personal best throw of 46.51m and 964 points.

Iran's Mohammad Khalvandi won the gold and set up a world record with a throw of 50.98 and 1,044 points.

Claudiney Batista dos Santos of Brazil and Raed Salem from Egypt ranked second and third.

"Although we did not win a single medal, in general all 11 athletes have had a successful tournament. Among four competitors in powerlifting, two ranked fourth. Lifter Nguyen Thi Hong had the same result of 88kg with the third-ranked athlete but did not get a medal due to her heavier weight," said Vu The Phiet, deputy head of the delegation.

"Among four swimmers, Vo Thanh Tung failed to make the top three but he earned an Asian record. Two of three track-and-field athletes gained fourth places," said Phiet who is the Viet Nam Paralympics Committee general secretary. — VNS