Boxing

Võ Thị Kim Ánh (left) in action during the Olympics' first World Qualification Tournament in Italy. She advanced to the women's 54kg semi-finals and qualified for the 2024 Olympics. Photo of ASBC

HÀ NỘI — Boxer Võ Thị Kim Ánh has qualified for the Paris Olympic Games, earning the fifth spot for Việt Nam at the world's largest sporting event this summer.

Ánh was among five Vietnamese boxers taking part in the Olympics' first World Qualification Tournament in Italy’s Busto Arsizio.

Being the last Vietnamese fighter in the ring, she was the final hope for an Olympic slot as all her other teammates had lost.

Ánh advanced to the women's 54kg category semi-finals after beating Islem Ferchichi of Tunisia 5-0 in the last-eight round on March 11.

Earlier, she beat rivals from Dominica and Hungary in the first and second qualifying matches.

No matter how she finishes in this competition, Ánh has officially qualified for the Olympics as a place in the semis is enough to automatically qualification. 

Võ Thị Kim Ánh (second, right) receives a cash bonus from the Việt Nam Boxing Federation after her Olympic qualification. VNS Photo Nguyễn Thị Tâm

She was awarded VNĐ50 million (US$2,020) by the Việt Nam Boxing Federation.

Ánh is the fifth boxer and the second female competitor of Việt Nam to reach the Olympics.

Born in 1997 in An Giang Province, Ánh is Việt Nam's reigning champion. Her best career achievement was gold at the Thailand Open in 2022.

Vietnamese fighters still have their Olympic chances at the second World Qualification Tournament, which is scheduled for the Thai capital Bangkok from May 23 to 3 June 3.

Between 45 and 51 athletes (20-23 women and 25-28 men) will qualify through this event.

Olympic boxing will take place on July 27 – August 10 in the Roland Garros Stadium and the North Paris Arena.

The other four Vietnamese Olympic qualified athletes are swimmer Nguyễn Huy Hoàng, cyclist Nguyễn Thị Thật, and markswomen Trịnh Thu Vinh and Lê Thị Mộng Tuyền. VNS