Việt Nam canoeists take medal lead

Vietnamese canoeist Nguyễn Thị Hương, 21, helps Việt Nam win a gold medal in the women's 500m canoe four at the SEA Games 31 on May 21. Hương has collected five gold medals in the singles and team events of canoeing at the SEA Games. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Đức

HẢI PHÒNG — A group of four – Nguyễn Thị Hương, Trương Thị Phương, Nguyễn Thị Ngân and Diệp Thị Hương – recoded a time of 1min 54.893sec to help Việt Nam win gold in the women's 500m canoe four at the Games on May 21.

Starting Saturday morning at the Thủy Nguyên rowing centre, the Vietnamese sped up their boat to surpass Indonesia and Thailand in the race for gold.

Nur Meni, Dayumin, Sella Monim and Riska Andriyani from Indonesia finished second in 1min 57.033sec, three seconds behind the Vietnamese quad.

Thailand's Paweena Kamchon, Suthimon Chuea Thamdee, Nootchanat Thoongpong and Kewalin Takhianram took bronze with a finish of 2min 6.218sec.

The Indonesian quad then booked a gold medal in the 200m distance after clocking in at 44.39sec, beating Vietnamese Trương Thị Phương, Hoàng Thị Huệ, Nguyễn Thị Ngân and Nguyễn Thị Lý in second place (45.483sec), and Paweena Kamchon, Suthimon Chuea Thamdee, Aphinya Sroichit and Orasa Thiangkathok in third (49.050sec).

Hương then took personal gold in the 200m women's canoe singles with a time of 49.83sec, beating Orasa Thiangkathok of Thailand who came in second with a time of 51.618sec, and Thet Phyo Naing in third (53.955sec).

It was the fifth gold medal that Hương, 21, has collected in the singles and team events in canoeing at the SEA Games.

Việt Nam lead the medal table in the canoe with eight golds, while Indonesian canoeists have bagged six. Thailand have pocketed three golds. — VNS