HÀ NỘI — Quảng Bình representative Nguyễn Huy Hoàng defeated Southeast Asian Games winner Nguyễn Hữu Kim Sơn in the men’s 400m individual medley event at the National Swimming Championships in HCM City on Thursday.

Sơn of An Giang took the lead in the race in the first 350m, but Hoàng later overtook him, showing great speed in the freestyle leg.

Hoàng finished first with a time of 4min 24.04sec. Sơn was second and Lâm Quang Nhật from HCM City was third.

Earlier, SEA Games champion Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên participated in four finals and bagged three gold medals on the first day of the competition at the Phú Thọ Club.

Viên of the Military team won the women’s 200m backstroke, 200m individual medley and 4x100m freestyle relay.

She came second in the 50m breaststroke, behind 16-year-old Vũ Thị Phương Anh of HCM City.

In other events, Lê Nguyễn Paul of An Giang came first in the men’s 50m breaststroke, while Hoàng Quý Phước from Đà Nẵng defended his title in the men’s 100m backstroke. Trần Duy Khôi of the hosts triumphed in the men’s 200m backstroke and 4x100m freestyle relay.

At the end of the first day, the Military topped the medal tally with three golds and four silvers. HCM City were second with the same number of gold medals but had one silver and two bronzes. An Giang came third with one gold, one silver and one bronze.

The championship is on until October 9. — VNS