National Sports Games

Nguyễn Hữu Thế Vinh (right) wins the first gold medal in taekwondo at the National Sports Games for Quảng Ninh on December 12. — Photo baoquangninh.com.vn

QUẢNG NINH — Young fighter Nguyễn Hữu Thế Vinh won Quảng Ninh a National Sports Games taekwondo gold medal on Monday at the Cẩm Phả City Gymnasium.

Vinh defeated Võ Minh Mẫn of Bình Dương 2-0 in the men's 68kg category to take his title which is the first ever for the province after nine Games.

His teammate, Phạm Ngọc Ánh, secured a silver in the women's 47kg, losing to Nguyễn Thị Ái Quỳnh of Đà Nẵng.

In the first day of taekwondo, there were fights in six weight classes.

Nguyễn Trường Chinh of Bình Thuận won the men's over-87kg gold; Trần Thị Ánh Tuyết, of Đà Nẵng took the title in the women's 57kg; Lâm Thị Hà Thanh from Hà Nội claimed the women's 73kg gold and Phan Trương Vinh of Bình Dương triumphed in the men's 54kg.

Taekwondo will be held from December 12-16. There are 304 athletes from 40 teams competing in the combat disciplines with weights ranging from 54kg to over-87kg for men and from 46kg to over-73kg for women.

Athletes also vie for medals in the poomsae (performance) for individual, pairs, team titles.

In other activities, master Phí Mạnh Cường of Quảng Ninh bagged a bronze medal in blitz Chinese chess.

He was behind Lại Lý Huỳnh of Bình Dương and Nguyễn Minh Nhật Quang of HCM City.

In rapid Chinese chess, duo Nguyễn Thành Bảo and Hà Văn Tiến of Bình Phước took first and second places, respectively. Quang and Huỳnh shared the third position. — VNS