SEA Games

Dương Thúy Vi wins gold in the women's combined jianshu and qiangshu of wushu at the 32nd SEA Games on May 11 in Phnom Penh, cambodia. VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI — Martial artist Dương Thúy Vi self-celebrated her birthday with a gold medal in wushu on May 11's morning session of the 32nd SEA Games in Phnom Penh.

Vi finished her second performance in the women's jianshu with the highest score of 9.236. On May 10, she scored 9.6060 points to lead the qiangshu event. Her combined total of 19.2290 was the best among five competitors.

Vi won Việt Nam's wushu first gold on the sixth official day at the Chroy Changvar Convention Centre.

Sandy Oo of Myanmar came second, followed by Pang Pui Yee of Malaysia.

Vi's young teammate Nguyễn Thúy Hiền finished fourth in her first regional competition.

After the 31st Games, former world champion Vi planned to retire, attributing the main reason to her age although she did win gold in the World Games last July. Luckily, the coaching board persuaded her to stay with the national team. She won her seventh gold in SEA Games at the age of 30.

"I won my first gold in the Myanmar Games in 2013," Vi said.

"It was the first gold of the Việt Nam delegation that year. Ten years later, I am still here. I competed well and shone. I am really proud of the success."

"After the second performance, I feel relaxed and comfortable and definitely believed I could win. I performed to the best of my ability."

Her teammate Hoàng Thị Phương Giang collected a bronze in the women's combined daoshu and gunshu event.

The winner was Kimberly Ling Li Ong of Singapore while her teammate Zoe Ziyi Tan took second place.

In billiards, Việt Nam ensured both gold and silver in the men's 3-cushion carom in the evening session.

Nguyễn Trần Thanh Tự advanced to the final after defeating Donghoon of Cambodia in the semi-finals. Teammate Nguyễn Đức Anh Chiến set up an all-Vietnamese final after beating Dela Cruz of the Philippines in the other semis.

Quách Công Lịch qualifies for the men's 400m hurdles final.

In track and field, runner Quách Công Lịch advanced to the final of the 400m hurdles, hoping to win his first gold medal. On the women's side, Nguyễn Thị Huyền and Nguyễn Thị Ngọc will vie for the title.

Phan Thanh Bình expected to earn a second medal in the men's discus throw after a silver in the shot put three days ago.

In the 10,000m, Đỗ Quốc Luật and Nguyễn Quốc Anh will defend Việt Nam's gold which was won by retired champion Nguyễn Văn Lai at the last SEA Games.

Nguyễn Huy Hoàng has to swim in two events on the evening of May 11.

In swimming, golden hope Nguyễn Huy Hoàng will compete in both men's 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly in the evening. He has just 10 minutes rest between the two categories.

Hoàng, who has won two golds and one bronze, will swim with younger teammates Đỗ Ngọc Vinh in the former event and Hồ Nguyễn Duy Khoa in the latter.

Other finals see Vietnamese swimmers competing in the men's and women's 50m breaststroke.

In fencing, defending champion Vũ Thành An and teammate Nguyễn Văn Quyết will compete in the men's sabre. Vũ Thị Hồng and Nguyễn Phương Kim will vie for the men's sabre gold.

Kun Khmer is on its last day with five Vietnamese fighters in the finals. VNS