Weightlifting

Khổng Mỹ Phượng of Việt Nam (left) places third overall in the women's 45kg category at the IWF World Cup which is ongoing in Thailand. VNS Photos Minh Minh

HÀ NỘI — Khổng Mỹ Phượng won medals for Việt Nam at the International Weightlifting Federation World Cup 2024 on April 1 in Phuket, Thailand.

Competing in the women's 45kg, Phượng was one of two Vietnamese representatives.

After three attempts in the snatch event, Phượng lifted of 76kg, the second-best result, to take silver. 

In the clean and jerk, she succeeded with 84kg for a bronze. With a total of 160kg, Phượng added another bronze in the overall category.

Her teammate Nguyễn Thị Hoài made a 73kg snatch but failed in all three attempts in the clean and jerk, resulting in no ranking in total.

The champion was Won Hyon Sim of North Korea with three golds 87kg in snatch, 109kg in clean and jerk and a total lift of 193kg, three new world records. 

Thai rival Siriwimon Pramongkhol secured bronze in the snatch with 75kg, and two silvers, in clean and jerk with 101kg and total with 176kg.

The World Cup, which runs from March 31 to April 11, is the final qualification opportunity for any athlete to secure their Olympic place in Paris this summer.

Phạm Thị Hồng Thanh is confident to compete in the women's 71kg at the Phuket World Cup.

Việt Nam sends nine athletes to this competition after their training course in China.

Among them Trịnh Văn Vinh, Nguyễn Trần Anh Tuấn, Phạm Thị Hồng Thanh, Phạm Đình Thi and Quàng Thị Tâm have hopes to win Olympic tickets.

In the men's 61kg, Vinh and Tuấn will face nearly 30 rivals in group B.

Vinh is currently world No 10 in this class and he is confident of a high result in Phuket, especially after winning a bronze from the Asian championship in February in Uzbekistan.

On the women's side, Phạm Thị Hồng Thanh has strong potential in the women's 71kg. She ranked 11th at last year's world championship.

According to rules, the top 10 of each weight class will qualify for Paris where each country will have no more than three men and three women. 

"We are very focused in this World Cup as it is the last chance for Olympics and all strong lifters are here," said Nguyễn Huy Hùng of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam.

“Vietnamese athletes have prepared really carefully. They are asked to deliver their best performance and we hope that they would make the target." VNS