Karate

Hoàng Thị Mỹ Tâm of Việt Nam (left) competes in the final of the Southeast Asian Karate Championship's women's 55kg category. Tâm won two golds. Photo of Karate Journal

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam topped the Southeast Asian Karate Championships, which closed in the Philippines on March 19.

Vietnamese athletes secured 23 gold medals from tournaments for both seniors and juniors during seven days of competition in Manila.

Among the winners were Asian champion Hoàng Thị Mỹ Tâm and the men's and women's kumite (combat) teams.

Tâm secured a double title after beating Chokprasertgul Sirigamolnate of Thailand in the in the women's U21 55kg class and Montalvo Jenelle of the Philippines in the senior pool.

Men's kata team of Việt Nam perform at the Southeast Asian Karate Championships which closes in Manila on March 19. Photo of Karate Journal

Meanwhile, the women's kumite took both gold and silver in a all-Việt Nam final. The men's squad beat Malaysia in the final for the last gold of the championship.

Việt Nam also grabbed 20 silvers and 22 bronzes.

Thailand finished second with eight golds, 10 silvers and 18 bronzes. Indonesia was third with eight golds, five silvers and 11 bronzes.

The regional tournament lured more than 280 athletes from 10 countries, competing in both kata (performance) and kumite disciplines. Việt Nam sent 73 martial arts to the Manila event, which was considered their last warm-up for the 32th SEA Games in May in Cambodia.

At the previous Games, Việt Nam topped the podium with seven titles. VNS