Vietnamese men, women take two rowing golds

Việt Nam’s men’s four-person canoeing team pose with their medals after finishing first in the men’s C4 1,000m event with a time of 3:35:147 minutes. — VNA/VNS Photo

HẢI PHÒNG — Vietnamese athletes brought home two more golds from men’s and women’s canoeing in Hải Phòng City on May 18.

In the women's canoe double 1000m final, Trương Thị Phương and Nguyễn Thị Ngân crossed the finish line ahead of the pack with a time of 4.30.971.

Phương said Indonesia and Thailand were the two strongest countries in canoe racing at the ongoing Games. She said she was very happy as she overcome them to step onto the top of the podium.

This was Phương’s first canoeing event and she didn’t know how strong or weak the opponents were. Luckily, Phương and Ngân finished their competition perfectly. In the same event, Thailand won silver and Indonesia bronze.

The men’s Vietnamese four-man canoeing team, made up of Phạm Hồng Quân, Trần Thanh, Hiền Nam and Nguyễn Quốc Toản, finished first in the men’s C4 1,000m event with a time of 3:35:147 minutes. Indonesia won silver and Myanmar bronze.

The Vietnamese team broke away from the pack about 200m from the finish line, ending the race two seconds clear of the Indonesian team.

This is the first gold for Việt Nam's men’s sailing team at this year’s Games.

Phạm Hồng Quân, coxswain of the Vietnamese team, said: "We competed in the battle with great determination and overcome ourselves. The opponents were also very strong, moving far from us. We were able to surpass them at the end of the race. Before the race, there was pressure, but we were all very determined and we tried harder than in practice to reach our goal."

In addition, the men’s four-person kayak team also pocketed a bronze medal.

The canoeing and kayaking will continue on May 19. — VNS