Vietnamese rowers have made their nation proud by securing the first medal for Vietnam at the 19th Asian Games, held in Hangzhou, China. The remarkable achievement came on September 24 at the Fuyang Water Sports Centre.
The women’s coxless fours team, comprising Đinh Thị Hảo, Hà Thị Vui, Phạm Thị Huệ, and Dư Thị Bông, demonstrated exceptional skill and determination. They finished in third place, clinching a well-deserved bronze medal.
The Vietnamese quartet began their race in lane three and quickly positioned themselves among the leading group, alongside powerhouse teams from China and Japan. At one point, they even took the lead during the race.
Ultimately, China showcased their prowess by securing first place with a remarkable time of 6 minutes and 42.03 seconds. Japan managed to overtake Vietnam in the final meters of the race, securing the second position with a time of 6 minutes and 47.04 seconds.
Despite facing fierce competition, the Vietnamese team clocked in at 6 minutes and 52.35 seconds, earning them the bronze medal. Although their performance in the finals wasn’t as outstanding as their qualification round time of 6 minutes and 39.89 seconds, the rowers expressed their happiness and pride in their achievement.
Đinh Thị Hảo, who had previously won a silver medal for Vietnam in the same event at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, commented, “I am happy, even though I have a few regrets. This is an achievement of all four athletes. I hope that in the next Games, Vietnam will earn more valuable medals.”
Veteran rower Phạm Thị Huệ, participating in her fourth Asian Games, expressed her pride in representing Vietnam at the prestigious event.
The Chief-de-mission, Đặng Hà Việt, who was present at the venue, praised the quartet’s performance and highlighted the significance of this first medal for Vietnam in the competition. He also announced plans to offer bonuses to the team and seek additional support from sponsors and enterprises to further encourage their achievements.
In addition to rowing, Vietnamese athletes are participating in 14 other sports during the 19th Asian Games, including taekwondo, shooting, boxing, table tennis, chess, fencing, e-sports, wushu, and football.
With medals up for grabs in nine sports on the first day of the Asian Games, China is expected to dominate the overall medals table as the competition unfolds until its conclusion on October 8.