Asian Games

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam won three more bronze medals in athletics and kurash wrestling at the ongoing Asian Games (ASIAD) 2018 in Indonesia Thursday.

Vũ Thị Mến leapt 13.93m in the women’s triple jump at her fourth attempt to take a bronze medal. The gold medal went to Rypakova Olga of Kazakhstan with 14.26m, while the silver medal belonged to Thailand’s Chuaimaroeng Parinya with the same result with Mến of 13.93m but Parinya won as she achieved this result at her third attempt.

At the Southeast Asian Games last year, Mến bagged a gold medal with the better result of 14.15m. She also leapt 13.11m to win gold in the fifth Asian Beach Games two years ago.

In the women’s 4 x 400m relay, Nguyễn Thị Oanh, Nguyễn Thị Hằng, Hoàng Thị Ngọc and Quách Thị Lan took bronze with a time of 3:33.23. India won gold with a time of 3:28:72, while silver medal went to Bahrain with a time of 3:30.61.

Việt Nam’s other bronze medal went to Nguyễn Thị Lan in the women’s kurush under 73kg category, losing the semi-final to Mongolian Munkhtsetseg Otgon 0-10.

Kurash is similar to judo, but athletes focus more on the upper body of their rivals. The goal of the competitors is to throw their opponent off their feet. Action is allowed only in a standing position and only throws and leg sweeps can be used. Therefore, athletes who have strong hands will have more of an advantage than their rivals.

In the women’s 1,500m final category, Nguyễn Thị Oanh missed out on a bronze after finishing fourth with a time of 4:15.49. Kalkidan Befkadu of Bahrain and her teammate Tigist Belay first two places, while Chitra Palakeezh Unnikrishnan of India finished third.

Jumping for joy: Vũ Thị Mến won a bronze medal in the women’s triple jump in the Asian Games in Indonesia yesterday. — Photo thethao247.vn

Earlier, Oanh earned a bronze medal in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 9:43.83.

In the women’s 4x100m relay final, Lê Tú Chinh, Lê Thị Mộng Tuyền, Lưu Kim Phụng and Hà Thị Thu finished seventh in a total time of 45.52sec. Gold went to Bahrain, silver to China and Kazakhstan took bronze.

Meanwhile, long-distance runner Nguyễn Văn Lai failed in the men’s 5,000m final as he ranked seventh with a time of 14:56.09. Two Bahrain runners took gold and silver.

Việt Nam have won four golds, 15 silvers and 16 bronzes to rank 15th in the medal tally.

According to Trần Đức Phấn, head of Việt Nam sports delegation at the Games, Việt Nam team completed their goal with four goals including two Olympic sports: rowing and athletics.

“With four goals gained, Việt Nam has completed their goal in which Việt Nam would have at least one goal in Olympic sport. So far, we have two,” said Phấn in the press conference in Indonesia yesterday.

“Besides, Việt Nam Olympic team has reached the semi-finals of men’s football category for the first time ever and they will play in the bronze-medal match with the United Arab Emirates on Saturday,” Phấn said.

Although Việt Nam gained their target in the ASIAD, many key players such as female swimmer Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên and male shooter Hoàng Xuân Vinh were not successful, losing in the qualifying rounds.

Phấn said this was because of psychology burden. After this event, sport leaders will discuss thoroughly to improve training plans to better their results. — VNS