Para Athletics

Cao Ngọc Hùng poses with the scoreboard. Hùng secured a silver medal in the men's F57 javelin throw at the 2022 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Tunisia. Photo courtesy of the athlete

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam grabbed two silver and two bronze medals from the 2022 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Rades Stadium, Tunis, on June 27.

Cao Ngọc Hùng finished second in the men's F57 javelin throw event.

The Paralympian took his best result of 44.06m after six attempts.

He was behind Muhammet Khalvandi of the hosts Tunisia, who threw 51.33m.

Youssoupha Diouf of Senegal was in third with a 41.64m throw.

Later, Hùng's wife Nguyễn Thị Hải claimed a bronze in the women's F56/57 shot put.

Hải's six-attempt performance gave her 686 points for the third podium.

"I have always tried my best to overcome challenges and difficulties. I believed that after all hard efforts, sweet results will come. And here, these are (successful) results of our husband and wife," Hùng said.

The winner was Nadia Medjmedj of Angola who took 1,016 points. Her compatriot Nassima Saifi came second with 929 points.

Another Vietnamese parathlete Trương Bích Vân was fifth in this event. She scored 469 points.

In the track event, Phạm Nguyễn Khánh Minh claimed a silver in the men's T11 100m class. He scored 743 points. His teammate Nguyễn Ngọc Hiệp was close behind with 601 points and bagged a bronze.

Cuban Leinier Savon Pineda bettered all eight athletes in the final with 1,001 to take the gold.

While Hùng finished his competition, his teammates will continue with other categories in the next two days.

Tokyo Paralympic participant Hải, who was a multi-time para-games and continental champion, will compete in the women's F57 discus throw on Wednesday.

Her teammate, Vân, who won a gold medal in the 2019 Grand Prix in China, will also take part in this event. Earlier, she will compete in the women's javelin throw. Vân earned a bronze from the Chinese event three years ago.

Minh and Hiệp will join in the men's T11/T12 400m before Hiệp will test his skills in the men's T11 long jump.

China Grand Prix winner Trần Văn Nguyên will compete in the men's F40 shot put and javelin throw.

The Vietnamese team consists of six athletes and one guide competing in 14 events for both men and women in Tunis.

The Grand Prix, hosted by the Tunisian Athletics Federation, began on June 27 and will finish on June 30 in Rades Stadium. It serves as qualifying for the Paris Paralympics in 2024.

Hùng said the Tunis event was the first tournament to deliver world-point ranking for athletes. VNS