SEA Games Highlights – 20 December 2013

VIETNAM UPDATED. Friday was an unfruitful, if not unhappy, day for Vietnam at the 27th SEA Games Myanmar 2013 as they sustained three defeats against Thailand in futsal and football, while adding only two gold medals into the collection.

Vietnam faced Thailand in three finals of the day in men’s and women’s futsal and women’s football, but failed to win any of the three.

Thailand trounced Vietnam 8-1 in the men’s futsal, and 5-0 in the women’s event. In the women’s football final later, the Thai girls continued to grab another gold medal by beating Vietnam 2-1.

The Vietnamese athletes only managed to won two golds by martial artists Le Huynh Chau (taekwondo) and Nguyen Thi Quyen Chan (vovinam).

They meanwhile took home as many as 12 silver medals.

By the end of Friday, Vietnam slipped to the second place behind leader Thailand and host Myanmar with 66 golds, 72 silvers, and 74 bronzes.

Below are some highlights of Friday’s competitions compiled by the official website of the event.

Futsal
In men’s futsal Futsal Stadium, Thailand grabbed the gold medal win an 8- 1 win over Vietnam who never really challenged in the match. Vietnam got the silver and Indonesia won the bronze medal, beating Myanmar 6-5 on penalties after both teams ended regulation and extra time tied 3-3.

In women’s play, Thailand took a 2-0 lead over Vietnam into the dressing room at halftime and scored three unanswered goals in the second half to win the gold medal 5-0. Vietnam got the silver.

Traditional Boat
In traditional boat race at Nga Lite Dam Myanmar continued its winning ways, the mixed 10-crew taking gold in 2 minutes, 13.837 seconds over 500m. Thailand won the silver in 2:14.817 and finishing nearly 5 seconds ahead of bronze medalists Indonesia.

In the mixed 20-crew, Indonesia again surprised the hosts – they won a gold yesterday – by taking the gold medal in 1:50.952, more than a second ahead of silver medalists Thailand.

Myanmar got the bronze another half second behind Thailand.

The host country returned to the top podium step in the men’s 5-crew, finishing in 1:55.895, more than 7 seconds ahead of silver medalists Thailand and bronze medalists Indonesia.

In the day’s final race, the women’s 5-crew, Myanmar again stepped onto the top of the medals platform, winning gold in 2:15.713. Thailand got silver in 2:24.516 and Singapore got its first medal in traditional boat with a2:27.139 for bronze.

So far, Myanmar has lost the gold medal only twice in 14 races.

The last races are to be paddled tomorrow over 2000m.

Taekwondo
Taekwondo at Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium, Nuttawee Klompong (THA) won gold in the men’s 58kg. Ong Stevanus Ariosuseno (INA) took the silver and Doungsivilay Phammasone(LAO) and Rozaimi Rozali (MAS)won bronzes.

At 63kg, Huynh Chau Le (VIE) fought to the gold, beating Ryan Chong Wy (MAS) down to silver. Paul Romero (PHI) and Sornsart Poolpong (THA) got the bronze.

In women’s 49kg, Phannapa Harnsujin (THA) won the gold, Thi Huong Giang Doan (VIE) the silver and Eaimdra Aung (MYA) and Luisa Dos Santos Rosa (TLS) took bronzes.

At 53kg, Sarita Phongsri (THA) grabbed the gold, Thanh Thao Nguyen (VIE) the silver and Puthearim Chhoeung (CAM) and Pauline Louise Lopez (PHI) won bronzes.

Hockey
In hockey at Hockey Stadium, Yangon Indonesia beat Cambodia 8-0 in the final round-robin match before Myanmar played a hard defensive match against a complacent Singapore to win the bronze medal 1- 0.

In the gold medal match, Malaysia made no mistakes in taking the gold medal 8-1 over Thailand, who had settle for silver.

Kempo
In kempo at National Indoor Stadium, Yangon, the men’s randori 50kg went to Than Win (MYA), the silver to Joao Fernandes (TLS) and bronzes to Saren Phat (CAM) and Suea Thammaksone (LAO)

At 60kg, Kyaw Lin Oo (MYA) won gold, Dethsavanh Zaiavong (LAO) silver and Ronald Huiyanto (INA) and Duy Chung Nguyem (VIE) bronze.

At 65kg, Yules Umbu Hamba Pulu Umbu (INA) won gold, Khonesavanh Soundala (LAO) the silver and Kiri Sovan (CAM) and Francisco Pereira (TLS) the bronzes.

In Kumi embu pair kyu kenshi, Antonio Manuel/Julianto Pereira gave Timor-Leste the gold, Anggi Prasetia/Muhammad Qbal (INA) got silver and Aung Naing Tun/Tun Lin Aung (MYA) won bronzes.

In dantai embu, Indonesia took gold, Timor-Leste silver and Laos bronze.

In women’s dantai embu, Indonesia won gold, Vietnam silver and Myanmar bronze.

Volleyball
In volleyball at Zeyarthiri Indoor Stadium Indonesia beat Myanmar 3-0 for the women’s bronze medal

In men’s play, Laos outlasted Malaysia 3-2 to finish 5th. Vietnam beat Myanmar 3-0 to win the bronze medal.

Vovinam
In vovinam at Zeyarthiri Indoor Stadium in men’s Song Luyen Ma Tau, Hlwan Aung/Than Htike (MYA) took gold, Dong Vuong Lam/The Thuong Tran (VIE) silver and Chin Piseth/Chrin Bunlong (CAM) bronze.

In Da Luyen Vu Khi Nam, Indonesia got gold, Vietnam silver and Myanmar bronze.

Among the women, at 55kg, Thi Quyen Chan Nguyen (VIE) won gold, Paloy Barckkam (LAO) silver and Hay Man Soe (MYA) and Ni Luh Kadek Apriyanti (INA) won bronzes.

In Long Ho Quyen, Khaing Wha Phue (MYA) took gold, Le Cam Xuan Hua (VIE) silver and Pal Chhorraksmy (CAM) bronze.

In Song Luyen Kiem, Arista Dewi Luh Gede/Ratna Dewi Ni Made (INA) won gold, Le Cam Xuan Hua/Thi Kim Thuy Mai (VIE) silver and Nay Zar Win/Nway Oo Khin (MYA) bronze.
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Vietnam Secures Second Place at SEA Games

VIETNAM UPDATED. Vietnamese athletes had a successful competition day at the on-going 27th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Myanmar on December 17 as they brought home a total of six gold medals.

With this result, the Vietnamese team continued to secure its second place at the Games with 49 gold, 43 silver and 56 bronze medals. Thailand took the lead with 64 golds and Indonesia came third with 45 golds. Host Myanmar dropped to the fourth position with 42 gold medals.


The first good news of the day came to Vietnam in the early morning as long-distance runner Nguyen Van Lai emerged victorious in the men’s 5,000m event.
 
But the impressive victory of the day came from sprinter Vu Thi Huong, given that she has been out of the spotlight for the past two years and faced grave doubts over her ability to return to the winner’s podium.
 
She reclaimed her gold medal in the 100m strongest event and her sixth gold medal in the history of SEA Games.
 
The hat-trick of the Vietnamese track and field was fulfilled by Do Thi Thao in the women’s 800m event.
 
Meanwhile, Le Ngoc Mai, Trieu Thi Hoa Hong and Nguyen Thuy Dung brought another gold to Vietnam by winning the women’s 25m sport team pistol event.
Bui Thi Quynh defeated her Thai opponent in the final to win the first gold medal in Thai Muay competition.
 
Chess grandmaster Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son improved his achievements with the second gold medal at this Games in the fast chess category.-
 
Taekwondo brings day’s first gold medal for VN
Nguyen Thi Le Kim, Nguyen Thi Thu Ngan and Chau Tuyet Van secured a gold medal at the Taekwondo’s team demonstration category, the first gold on December 18 for Vietnam at the ongoing 27th SEA Games.
 
The trio won the World Poomsae Championship in Indonesia last month.
Two other artists, Nguyen Thanh Bao Mi and Nguyen Viet Quoc, bagged a silver medal at the duo demonstration category.
 
Vietnam’s Taekwondo team set a target of four gold medals at this year’s SEA Games, the largest regional sport event.
By 11:00 AM, Vietnam won 50 gold, 43 silver and 52 bronze medals.-
 
SEA Games 27: Runners win Vietnam more golds
Vietnamese runners outstripped their rivals to win another two gold medals for the country on December 17 at the ongoing SEA Games in Myanmar.
In the women’s 100m sprint, Vu Thi Huong finished first with a time of 11.59 seconds.

Another gold went to Do Thi Thao in the women’s 800m event, finishing in 2 minutes and 5.52 seconds.
 
Meanwhile, Duong Van Thai, who triumphed in the men’s 800m in the last SEA Games, only gained a bronze medal this time.
 
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Quach Thi Lan finished second in 58.93 seconds.
As of 4.30 pm, Vietnam ranked second with 47 golds, 41 silvers and 51 bronzes, only behind Thailand in the medal tally.
 
Sprinter Huong’s impressive return to SEA Games
Sprinter Vu Thi Huong took a gold medal for Vietnam in the women’s 100m in Myanmar on December 17 after a prolonged injury and a recent ovarian cyst surgery.
 
She overwhelmed her Thai and Indonesian players, reaching the finish line after 11s59, or 0s26 less than a Thai runner.
At the previous SEA Games in Indonesia in 2011, Huong failed to secure gold in her favourite 100m and 200m.
 
Beyond expectations, Vu Thi Huong took a gold medal in the women's 100m at SEA Games 27
 
The impressive performance in Myanmar is expected to build up Huong’s confidence in the women’s 200m race on December 18.  
Shortly after Huong’s competition, her team mate Do Thi Thao bagged a gold medal in the women’s 800m.
 
In the morning, Nguyen Van Lai carried off a gold medal in the men’s 5,000m race.
Vietnamese marksmen brought home seven out of a total of 12 gold medals at this event, surpassing their set target.
 
Le Ngoc Mai, Nguyen Thi Hoa Hong and Nguyen Thi Dung clinched the seventh gold medal for Vietnam’s shooting in the women’s 25m air pistol.
Rowers struck only gold medal, failing to meet their set target of winning at least 3 gold medals. Bui Thi Nhat, Nguyen Thi Trinh, Tran Thi Sam, and Pham Thi Thao  only grabbed a silver medal in the women’s LW4.
 
In football, U23 Vietnam were knocked out of SEA Games 27 in a group match against defending champions Malaysia.
As of 07.00pm on December 17, Vietnam got a total of 49 gold medals, ranking it second on the medal tally.
 
Football for all evens playing field for rural kids
Children attending a fun football festival were filled with joy at the end of the recent one-day event held in Do Son district of the northern city of Hai Phong as part of a project by the Football For All in Vietnam (FFAV), jointly initiated by presidents of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Norway Football Federation back in 1997.

The FFAV moved to Hue in 2004 and began its operations in Do Son in 2007. According to its website, the FFAV has managed to create 148 clubs with 1,659 teams and 15,956 players. It also hosts 300 tournaments a year and educates 4,537 people.
 
This year, hundreds of children from Hop Duc and Minh Duc communes in Do Son were able to participate in five hours of activities.
According to Hoang Trung Hieu, director of the FFAV's programme in Do Son district, after six years in the district, the number of clubs has rapidly swelled from two to nine big clubs and 21 small clubs.
 
With just balls and some simple objects, the FFAV's dedicated instructors created a wide range of games to help children learn skills as well as increase their knowledge.
 
Children can join in football matches or partake in drills combining thinking exercises with football skills. They can also dribble a ball to take pieces of paper with words and arrange these into a meaningful order; or head the ball into circles with different terms referring to good or bad aspects of society.
 
"This kind of event is invaluable and helps to educate children about football skills as well as life skills," said Vu Trong Loi, head of the National Sports Administration's Popular Sports Department.
 
"The event also serves as a catalyst to encourage children to participate in community activities through which they can acquire knowledge and practical skills. More events like this will be held in other provinces in the future."
 
The course is supplied at a very low cost and sometimes self-run by locals. Along with its own creative ideas, the FFAV can reach children in rural areas for minimal expenses.
 
"I saw a lot of different exercises here and how you use these to teach these boys and girls not only how to play football but how to be educated in a proper manner," said Wilfried Lemke, special adviser to the Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace, after finishing a 30-minute football match with children.
 
Lemke said he was not disappointed to travel for three hours from Hanoi to attend the event, which he described as providing value, engagement, organisational skills, good-behaviour and a good environment.
 
"I am very pleased to see this project by NGO FFAV in Vietnam. I always focus on grassroots-level sports where children learn how to behave, that's part of education," Lemke said.
 
Pham Duc Dai, a secondary school student who has participated in the event two years in a row, said that participating in the event had helped him learn teamwork and social skills.
 
"We do not have many events of this kind which allow all children in the commune to meet, play and socialise. I want it to be held more often," Dai said.
Dai's wish is also what Lemke wants to bring to rural children across Vietnam. Lemke hopes other provinces and cities will replicate or learn from the model the FFAV is implementing in Hue city and Do Son.
 
"It is a question of content and support. This initiative has to be supported. With support from the government, the work will be much easier," he said.
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Vietnam Harvests More Gold Medals in Chess, Shooting, Athletics & Muay

VIETNAM UPDATED. Vietnam Sports Delegation continues to grab more six gold medals in chess, shooting, athletics and Muay on December 17.

At this time, Vietnam had 48 gold medals and still ranks the second position in the medals tally at the 27th SEA Games after Thailand.

In the fast chess category, chess player Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son was given a gold medal after drawing in the last game of chess.

This is the second gold medal that Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son grabbed in the 27th SEA Games. Earlier, Truong Son won a gold medal in blitz chess event.

The other Vietnamese players Nguyen Duc Hoa won one more silver medal in the same category. In the women's blitz chess category, Pham Le Thao Nguyen also grabbed a silver medal for Vietnam Sports Delegation.

In the Muay, Vietnamesese athlete Bui Thi Quynh beat Thailand to bring one more gold medal in women’s 48kg weight category.

In the women’s 100 meters athletics, Vu Thi Huong contributed to Vietnam more one gold medal with a victory of 11 seconds.

In the men’s 5000 meters athletics, athlete Nguyen Van Lai brought a gold medal with achievement of 14 minutes 19 seconds. Also in athletics category, Do Thi Thao and Vu Thi Ly grabbed a gold and silver medal in women’s 800 meters athletics.

In shooting category, shooters Trieu Thi HoaHong, Le Ngoc Mai and Nguyen Thuy Dung achieved 1.706 points and were given a gold medal.

In archery, in the final round of women's team archery competition, Loc Thi Dao, Duong Thi Kim Lien and Nguyen Thi Quyen Trang won a silver medal after losing to Indonesia.

In rowing, Vietnamese women rowing athletes included Bui Thi Nhat, Nguyen Thi Trinh and Pham Thi Thao competed excellently to grab one silver medal, scoring a victory in 7 minutes 9 seconds. Myanmar won a gold medal with achievement of 7 minutes 7 seconds.

In men’s team crowing category, Vietnam team was given a bronze medal. Gold medal went to Indonesia and the silver medal went to Thailand.

In women’s volleyball category, Vietnamese women volleyball team will attend in the final round after Vietnam beat Malaysia with a victory 3-0 in the last time. Accordingly, Vietnam will meet Thailand in the final round.

Vietnam Hilights on SEA Games Myanmar

VIETNAM UPDATED. Saturday proved a tough day for Vietnam at the ongoing 27th SEA Games Myanmar 2013 as the country lost their second place position, while Thailand jumped to take the top post from host Myanmar.
By the end of Saturday’s competition, Vietnam stood at the fourth position with 85 medals, including 29 golds, 23 silvers, and 33 bronzes.

Thailand stayed atop with 33 golds, 30 silvers, and 28 bronzes.

Below are some highlights of Saturday’s competition, compiled by the official website of the event.

Cycling
Indonesia’s Afosma Hildan proved the fastest man downhill at Mount Pleasant on Saturday, winning the men’s downhill cycling gold in 2 minutes, 22.324 seconds for an average speed of 30.423 kph over the 1,200m course.

Compatriot Pornomo Pornomo (INA) made it a gold-silver finish for Indonesia, coming home just 0.675 slower than Afosma.

The bronze medal was won by Sukchanya Suebsakun (THA) who ended 1.801 off the gold-medal pace.

Racing over the same 1,200Km, Deekaballes Vipavee won the women’s downhill gold by averaging 27.516 kph to finish in 2:37.191. Suseanty Risa (INA) won silver in 2:38.707, comfortably ahead of bronze medalist Abdulkaree Sattayanun’s (THA) 2:42.635.

Equestrian
At Wunna Theikdi Equestrian Field, Praveen Nair Mathavan, riding Sein Win Mal, took the individual dressage gold medal with a 67.405 total.

Indonesian riders Valentino Lumentah, on Ngwe Har May, and Ferry Wahyu Hadiyanto on Perfecting Ruby finished close behind Praveen. Valentino won silver with a 67.162 total and Ferry got bronze on 65.135.

Karatedo
In men’s 75kg kumite karatedo at Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium, Myanmar’s Aye Cham Naing defeated Mondolu Christo (INA) to win the gold medal. Mondolu got silver and Jamaludin Shaharudin (MAS) and Muntaen Songvut (THA) got the bronze medals.

In 67kg kumite, Indonesia’s Simanjuntak Jintar prevailed over Sharmendran Raghonathan (MAS) to send Sharmendran crashing to silver and taking home the gold himself. Tin Tun Aung (MYA) and Nguyen Ngoc Thanh (VIE) won the bronzes.

At 60kg, Silvarajoo Senthil Kumaran (MAS) overcame Dharmawan Donny (INA) to take the kumite gold. Dharmawan got silver and Tran Minh Duc (VIE) and Mohammad Mairul (BRU) went home with the bronzes.

In the women’s draw, Malaysia’s Segaran Shree Shamini won gold, beating Pham Thi Tien (VIE) down to silver. Cer Zung Len (MYA) and Joanna Mae Ylanan (PHI) got the bronzes.

Weightlifting
At National Indoor Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar’s Aye Thanda Lwin snatched 92kg and clean and jerked 110kg to take gold in the women’s 53kg weightlifting with a 202kg total. Thuy Nguyen Thi (VIE) won silver with a 191kg (82/109) total on lighter-lifter tiebreak and Citra Febriamti(INA) got bronze with 191kg (86/105).

In men’s 69kg, Deni Deni (INA) totaled 342kg with a 148kg snatch and 176kg clean and jerk for the gold medal. Kyaw Moe Win (MYA) won silver with a 314kg (140/174) total and Tairat Bunsuk (THA) got bronze with a 312kg (137/175) total lift. Mohd Hafifi Mansor (MAS) also lifted 312kg, but lost the bronze because Tairat is the lighter lifter.

At 77kg, Pornchai Lobsi combined a 151kg snatch with a 185 clean and jerk to take the gold medal with a 336kg total. Ngoc Nguyen Hong (VIE) got the silver with a 391kg (138/181) total and Edi Kurniawan (INA) took bronze with a combined 316kg (142/174).

Bodybuilding
At MMC in Yangon, Thailand’s Jiraphan Pongkam took gold in the men’s 55kg bodybuilding. Tun Min (MYA) posed for the silver and Van Mach Pham (VIE) won the bronze.

In the 60kg class, crowd favorite Aung Khaing Win (MYA) won the gold, Ahn thong Nguyen (VIE) the silver and Jefry Johanis Wuaten (INA) the bronze.

At 70kg, Van Lam Nguyen (VIE) took gold, Sazali Abd Samad (MAS) scored the silver and Edoardus Apcowo (INA) won the bronze.

Badminton
Indonesia claimed women’s individual badminton gold through Manuputty Bellaetrix wo beat Ongbamrungphan Busanan (THA) 2-1 (9-21,21-13,21- 13). Ongbamrungphan got the silver and Nitachaon Jindapool (THA) and Thi Thang Vu (VIE) collected the bronzes at Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium ( C ).

In men’s doubles, Angga Pratama and Rian Agung Saputro (INA) beat compatriots Angriawan Berry and Ricky Karanda Suwardi (INA) 2-1 (21-13, 17-21, 21-11) for the gold. Angriawan and Karanda got silver. Bronze medals went to Khim Wah Lim, Yao Han Ow (MAS) and V Sham Goh, KokSiang Teo (MAS).

The mixed doubles gold was Indonesia’s third on the day, Debby Susanto and Muhammad Rijal combining to beat silver medalists Jongjit Maneepon and Taerattanachai (THA) 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) in just 39 minutes.

Aik Quan Tan, Pei Jing Lai (MAS) and Puangpuapech Nipitphon,Supajirakul Putita (THA) won the bronzes.

But Thailand’s Saensomboonsuk Tanongsak prevented a clean sweep by the Indonesias, winning the men’s single gold over Rumbaka Dionysius Hayom (INA) 2-0 (22-20, 21-17) in 43 minutes.

Prasetyo Wisnu Yuli (INA) and Tien Minh Nguyen (VIE) got the bronzes.

In billiards, Ageline Magdalena Ticoalu (INA) grabbed the 9-ball pool singles gold beating her rival Rubilen Amit (PHI) in the final Rubilen got silver and Thi Ngoc Le Doan (VIE) and Aim Aung (MYA) ended with bronzes.

Shooting
At North Dagon Shooting Range in Yangon, Nguyen Minh Chau (VIE) won the women’s 10m air pistol gold with 195.6 score, just appoint ahead of silver medalist Teo Shun Xie of Singapore, who shot 194.6 for the silver. Le Thi Hoang Ngoc made a double-medal event for Vietnam by wining bronze, but ending well short of the winning scores on 174.8.

Football
In men’s football at Thuwanna Stadium in Yangon, Timor-Leste and Indonesia played to the SEA Games first goalless draw, eliminating Timor- Leste from the medal round, but leaving the door still ajar for Indonesia in their final match in two days against Myanmar.

In women’s football at Mandalarthiri Stadium in Mandalay, Thailand converted a 2-0 lead in the first half into a 6-1 romp over Malaysia by fulltime.

Archery
At Wunna Theikdi Archery Field on Saturday in 70m, 72 arrow play, three archers from Indonesia sit atop the women’s recurve qualification table after the morning session. In men’s recurve, two Malaysians sit above and below one from Indonesia, in second place, after the qualification round.

In women’s compound 70m, 72 arrow, Myanmar, Malaysian and Indonesian archers hold the three tops position at the end of play. In the men’s draw, the top places held by archers from Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia.

Futsal
In women’s futsal, Malaysia scored an equalizer in the second half to draw 1-1 with Indonesia, who took a 1-0 lead into the final frame.

In the second match Thailand took a 3-1 lead over Vietnam into the second, scored three more goals and came out winners 6-1.

Basketball
Philippines, still the class act in men’s basketball at Zeyarthiri Indoor Stadium (A), weathered an 18-18 score-line at the end of the first quarter to outshoot Indonesia 22-16, 27-9, 16-9 in the remaining three quarters to win easily 83-52 in men’s action.

In the second game, Thailand jumped out to a 20-16 lead in the first quarter, outshot Malaysia 25-16 in the second, split the third 15-15 and eased of 13-22 in the fourth, but hung to win 73-69 in a hard-fought battle.

In the women’s match, Thailand dominated Myanmar 99-32, taking a 22-9 lead after the first quarter, adding another 25 points in the second to Myanmar’s 6, outscoring 29-4 in the third and finishing out the game 23-13.

Hockey
At Hockey Field Yangon, Thailand scored two in the first half and added a third in the second to blank Indonesia 3-0 in women’s play.

After the first half, Malaysia looked unlikely to suffer any problems from Cambodia. The Malaysians led 18-0 at the break. They scored another 18 in the second half to embarrass their opponents 36-0.

In the day’s third match, Singapore took a 1-0 lead into the last half, added another goal and ended up 2-1 winners over Myanmar.

Sepak Takraw
Sepak takraw wins at Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium (B) went to Laos over Vietnam 2-0, Thailand 2-0 over Malaysia, Myanmar 2-0 over Laos and Vietnam 2-0 over Malaysia in the women’s draw. In the men’s round robin win went to Malaysia 2-0 over Laos, Thailand 2-0 over Myanmar, Laos 2-0 in a walkover against Cambodia Myanmar 2-0 over Vietnam.

Volleyball
In volleyball at Zeyarthiri Indoor stadium (B), Thailand, 3-0 over Malaysia, and Vietnam, 3-0 over Myanmar, both cruised to easy wins in women’s volleyball at Zeyarthiri Indoor Stadium on Saturday morning.

But in men’s play Vietnam took Indonesia to the full five sets before succumbing 3-2 (32-30, 23-25, 17-25, 25-15, 15-9).
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Vietnam Advance to Semis in SEA Games Women’s Football

VIETNAM UPDATED. Vietnam have qualified for the semi-final round of the 27th Southeast Asian Games women’s football event after edging past hosts Myanmar 1-0 in their last group stage match on Sunday.
The two sides clashed in a Group A game at Mandalarthiri Stadium in Mandalay City where both wanted to avoid heavyweights Thailand – who are set to top Group B after their encounter with Laos on Monday – in the semis.

The Vietnamese women were at an advantage over their rivals before the game as all they needed was one point, following their comfortable 7-0 win over the Philippines on Friday, while Myanmar would have to beat Vietnam to shun the Thais.

Vietnam managed to sustain multiple attacks from the hosts and mounting pressure from thousands of spectators at Mandalarthiri with defensive play staged for most of the game.

Their winner was an own goal scored 18 minutes into the game by Myanmar defender Khin Thin Wai, who headed the ball into the net after a free kick from Vietnamese midfielder Kim Hong.

Vietnam’s experience and strong spirit helped them to successfully counter all the pressing by Myanmar for the rest of the match.

Vietnam led the three-team group with six points, followed by Myanmar who earned three points in a 2-0 victory over the Philippines on Tuesday.

The Vietnamese will take on either Laos or Malaysia from Group B on Wednesday whereas the hosts will almost certainly face Thailand in the semis the same day.

Held every two years since 1959, the Southeast Asian Games boasts many sports and involves participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia.

The ongoing 2013 edition will take place until December 22.

Truong Son Takes Up Mantle as New Top Chesss Seed

Son, the former world U10 champion, will take the lead after the nation's top seeded GM Le Quang Liem withdrew from the SEA Games to take part in the coming World Mind Games in China.

Viet Nam will take part in seven of 18 chess categories in Myanmar, with Son shouldering hopes for up to two gold medals in the men's international blitz and rapid chess events. The Kien Giang GM ranked fourth at the blitz and 16th in rapid chess at this year's world championships.

Alongside Son, GMs Dao Thien Hai and Nguyen Duc Hoa will also take part in these events.

The team's biggest rival is So Wesley from the Philippines. The eighth youngest chess grandmaster in history is also ranked 30th in the world and expected to be the top seed at the SEA Games.

On the women's side, Vietnamese masters will look to consolidate momentum at the regional level. However, the absence of leading GM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung this year due to a training course in Hungary, will be a blow to the side.
Trio Pham Le Thao Nguyen, Nguyen Thi Thanh An and Hoang Thi Bao Tram carry strong hopes of bringing home gold this year.

Coach Lam Minh Chau, said Indonesia had recently made strides in improving their chances at this year's Games.

"Previously, Viet Nam (women) were the strongest in ASEAN. However the Indonesian side have seen a strong ascendancy with Irine Kharisma, who is currently the top seed in the region. They present a strong challenge for us," Chau said.

He added that although the side faced difficulties in the current Games, he was optimistic the 13-member team would do its best to pocket up to four golds in blitz and rapid events. The team will also seek to assert their strengths in three other categories that are not well-known in Viet Nam.
"It is difficult but we can top three golds. It is a way to assert our power in the region," Chau said.

The chess tournament is scheduled to take place from December 12-21 in Nay Pyi Taw.

The eighteen events of chess comprise Myanmar's traditional style, ASEAN, and international chess as well as transfer chess and chess 960.

Vietnamese athletes made a splash at the 2005 Games in the Philippines after claiming all eight titles. Commentators have even alleged that the epic victory scared the country's competitors into removing the sport from the proceeding two Games' list.

The sports return two years ago in Indonesia presented Viet Nam with another opportunity to assert its dominance in six out of nine chess categories.

Chess variants
Transfer chess is a popular chess variant played on two chessboards by four players in teams of two. Normal chess rules apply, although captured pieces on one board are passed to players on the other board, who have the option of putting these pieces on their board. The game is played a high speed.

Chess 960 is a variant of chess that debuted in 1996 in Argentina. It employs the same board and pieces as standard chess; however, the starting position of the pieces on the players' home ranks is randomised. 

The random set-up renders the prospect of obtaining an advantage through the memorisation of opening lines impracticable, compelling players to rely on their talent and creativity. 
Source: VNS
 

Vietnamese Athletes Excel at Myanmar SEA Games

VIETNAM UPDATED. Teenager Nguyen Thi Anh Vien yesterday (Dec 12) won a double victory, with both a title and a record, at the ongoing 27th Southeast (SEA) Games in Myanmar.

The swimmer set a new record in the women's 200m backstroke event, with a time of 2:14.80, beating the old record of 2:15.73.

Earlier, Vien triumphed in the women's 200m individual medley event with a time of 2:16.20.

She had no difficulty in leaving all other rivals behind after swimming the first metres.

Meanwhile, swimmer Phiangkhwan Pawapotako of Thailand came in second with a time of 2:17.59, followed by Shen Hui Meagan Lim from Singapore who at 2:20.38.

Vien also made national history twice, being the first-ever Vietnamese winning a gold medal at a SEA Games and the first to win two titles in one Game.

The Olympian has completed one-fourth of her plan at the Myanmar tournament.

The Can Tho Province-born athlete is registered to swim in eight events. She is expected to win in two other meets, including her normally strong race, the 400m individual medley.

On the men's side, her teammate, Tran Duy Khoi, won a bronze medal in the 400m individual medley.

Yet, the highlighted team of the day was the wrestling squad, winning all four titles with four representatives entering the final matches.

Bui Tuan Anh won the first gold of the day for Viet Nam in the men's 66kg freestyle.

The defending champion beat Josep Angana of the Philippines 7-0.

His teammate, Nguyen The Anh, followed him to top the podium in the 60kg freestyle. Anh won 11-4 over Iqbal Muhammad Iqbal from Indonesia.

The third victor, Nguyen Huy Ha, also had no difficulty in protecting his ASEAN No 1 position. Ha trounced Indonesian Roni 7-0, for his third SEA Games title in a row.

"I am happy because I can defend my gold medal. This victory is not for myself, but my coaches and experts who have spent time training me and helping me maintain my peak performance today," Ha said.

The only woman on the team was Nguyen Thi Lua.

The Asian Games silver medallist beat a host rival, Myanmar's Kay Thi Khang, in the 51kg freestyle category.

It is the third SEA Games for Viet Nam's top wrestler, but the first time she had a chance to compete. Previously, her category was cancelled because all rivals withdrew when learning that Lua would participate.

"It is my first SEA Games gold in my 10-year career. People often said that I am an unlucky girl at the SEA Games, but now I proved that I am not. I have won these Games," said Lua with a smile.

Badminton bronzes

Two Vietnamese team members, Nguyen Tien Minh and Vu Thi Trang, won bronze medals in badminton after winning their berths in the singles semi-final rounds.
SEA Games, Myanmar, Vietnamese athletes

Victory lap: Vietnamese women's futsal players celebrate after winning 3-1 over Indonesia yesterday in Mandalay.

Minh, yesterday, walked over after his Thai rival, Avihingsanon Suppanyu, withdrew because of an injury he received in the second set. Minh was leading 24-22, 10-7.

"The Thai is not an easy rival. He played well in the first set, with powerful smashes. If I was not strong today, I would be the loser," said Minh, the world No 8 and tournament's No 1.

"He had a foot injury near the end of the first set, then he could not play in the second set.

"I have been well prepared for the tournament and am confident of the semi-final match tomorrow," he said.

In the semis, Minh will play world No 22 Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka of Indonesia. In their three meets, Minh was the winner, but said it would be difficult to say anything before the game.

Meanwhile, Trang beat Jiyuan Chen of Singapore 21-19, 18-21, 21-17 in the quarter-final match.

In canoeing news, Nguyen Thanh Quang took a silver in the men's K1 500m. His female teammates, quartet Nguyen Thi Duyen, Kieu Thi Hao, Nguyen Thi Le and Nguyen Thi Mai, received a bronze medal in the K4 500m event.

However, Tran Van Long failed earlier to defend his title in the men's C1 500m event. His poor performance placed him at fifth, out of six athletes.

In cycling, Viet Nam came in third in the team mountain cross country bicycle contest.

In futsal, the Vietnamese women's team scored their second win after beating Indonesia 3-1. Their next games will be tomorrow against Thailand.

After the first official day of competition, Viet Nam has won 16 gold medals, maintaining second place in the ranking table.

The host, Myanmar, remains firmly on top with 20 gold medals, while Indonesia replaced Thailand in the third position with 10 titles.

Volleyball players see huge rewards for winning

The Viet Nam Volleyball Federation has offered a bonus of VND500 million to any Vietnamese team winning a gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games this year.

Silver medal winners will receive VND300 million.

SEA Games volleyball competition begins on December 13 and concludes on December 21.

Two year ago, the men's team went home empty-handed, while the women team won a silver medal.

Tien Minh breezes into SEA Games semi-finals

Vietnam badminton phenom Nguyen Tien Minh made it through to the semi-final round of the SEA Games men’s singles after his Thai opponent, Avihingsanon Suppanyu, withdrew in the middle of today’s quarterfinal match.

Tien Minh proved himself as the top seed in the tournament, sneaking past Suppanyu in the first set with a score of 24-22.

While the second set score was 10-7 in Minh’s favour, the Thai shuttler decided to pull out due to an injury, handing Tien Minh a ticket to the semi-finals.

World number eight Tien Minh is expected to make light work of Rumbaka Dionysius Hayom of Indonesia, ranked 22nd in the world, in tomorrow’s semi-final match.

Top female Vietnamese player Vu Thi Trang also surged into the semi-finals today following her 2-1 victory over Singapore’s Chen Jiayuan in their quarter-final matchup.
Source: VNS

Vietnam Maintains Second Place at SEA Games 27

VIETNAM UPDATED. Shooter Nguyen Thanh Dat on December 11 won a gold medal at the 27 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 27), helping the Vietnamese shooting team fulfill it set target. 


The new decoration put the country second on the medal tally with ten golds, five silvers and seven bronzes, only after the host country Myanmar. 

Earlier, Dat and his teammates – Nguyen Duy Hoang and Phung Le Huyen scooped a silver medal at the 50-m rifle category with 1837.6 points.

Nine other gold medals were earned by Wushu artists Duong Thuy Vi, Hoang Thi Phuong Giang, Nguyen Thi Chinh, Nguyen Thu Hoai and Pham Quoc Khanh, and wrestlers Doi Dang Tien, Tran Van Tuong, Pham Thi Hue and Pham Thi Loan on the previous days.

Notably, the Vietnamese canoeing team contributed a silver and a bronze on December 10, making out-of expectation performance as the country is not regarded as strong in this game.

Vietnam set a goal of gaining at least 70 gold medals at the Games, which will last until December 22. 

Myanmar continues to lead with 18 golds, 8 silvers and 10 bronzes.
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Vietnam Wrestlers Hit Target in SEA Games Myanmar

VIETNAM UPDATED. Vietnamese wrestlers have earned a total of 9 gold medals from competitions in Myanmar over the past few days, one more gold medal than the set target.

Both Can Tat Du (74kg) and Vu Thi Hang (48kg) overwhelmed their Thai rivals, carrying off two gold medals for Vietnam’s wrestling team on December 13.

 
Weightlifter Thach Kim Tuan (56kg) set up a new SEA Games record after lifting a total of 285kg. The 19-year-old succeeded in his first 129kg attempt and managed to lift 156kg in another attempt.

19-year-old Thach Kim Tuan set up a new SEA Games record
Badminton hopeful Nguyen Tien Minh conceded a bitter defeat in a semi-final match against Indonesian rival Rumbaka Dionysius Hayom.

Easily outplaying Rumbaka 21-13 in the first set, Minh lost 12-21 in the second set, and 20-22 in the decisive set to the Indonesian player.

Karatedo artist Nguyen Hoang Ngan defeated Syafrudin Yulianti of Indonesia, bagging a gold medal in the women’s Kate 68kg weight category.  

Another Vietnamese Karatedo artist Lang Thi Hoa knocked out Pertiwi Wiwi of Indonesia in the women’s Kumite 68kg weight category.

The first gold medal of the day went to Hoang Xuan Vinh, Tran Quoc Cuong, and Nguyen Hoang Phuong in the men's 50m Free Pistol Team.

By 07.00pm Vietnam has won 22 gold medals, ranking it second on the medal tally, after hosts Myanmar with 26 gold medals.

Indonesia replaced Thailand to second place with 20 gold medals.

Tien Minh says farewell to SEA Games 2013
Vietnam’s best male badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh has unexpectedly lost to Indonesian rival Rumbaka in their December 13 semifinal at the ongoing SEA Games in Myanmar.

Minh won the opening set 21-13 but Rumbaka bounced back to take the second 21-12.

At one point Minh led the third set 20-16. Repeated mistakes eventually cost him the set 22-20 and erased any hopes of a gold medal this year..
The Vietnamese badminton team will return home on December 14.

Illness, injury shrinking Viet Nam football team
Viet Nam may not have midfielder Pham Manh Hung in their next SEA Games match against Laos.

Hung injured his right calf during a match against Singapore on Tuesday. He has been under intensive care for three days, but doctors said if he does not improve today, he could not play on Sunday.

It is expected that Que Ngoc Hai will replace him in the line-up.
Another loss for the team was right defender Quang Hung, who reportedly is suffering from a high temperature and flu, which prevented him from training yesterday.

Hung is one of the key members of the team, according to coaches. His absence would create a hole in Viet Nam's defence, although defender Dinh Hoang is being asked to take over for Hung.

Viet Nam, after one win and one loss, has three points and ranks second in Group A. 

Wrestlers Add Vietnam Gold Medal Tally

VIETNAM UPDATED. Wrestler Pham Thi Hue won a gold medal yesterday (Dec 10), the ninth for Viet Nam, even though the SEA Games have not officially begun.

Hue won all three matches in the women's freestyle 55kg category, which was organised in a round-robin format.

In her competitions, Hue gave her rivals no chance to score even one point. The Vietnamese won all three matches with a score of 8-0.

 
"I have been under heavy pressure during the competition in the last match, which decided the final ranking of the category. Among the problems was that the referee seemed to favour my rival from Mynamar," said Hue.

"Only one small mistake would have defeated me. However, I overcame and took the victory," said the former SEA Games champion.

"Hue had a well-planned preparation in both physique and spirit. She worked hard and successfully ‘swallowed' all exercises by foreign experts. It made me believe in her victory, and she did it," said coach Doi Dang Hy.

Earlier, her teammate Pham Thi Loan won a gold medal in the women's 59kg class.

Loan also overcame all rivals from Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar, to bring home the third gold medal for the wrestling squad.

On the men's side, Khong Dang Khoa failed to defend his title in the 74kg pool. Khoa had six points, as many as the gold and silver medallists, after two wins. However, the Vietnamese was ranked third due to new Myanmar rules of counting points.

Wushu gold
Wushu competitor Pham Quoc Khanh won the gold medal in the taolu (performance) of nangun event yesterday, scoring 9.70 points.

Myanmar athlete Soe Kyaw, with 9.69, ranked second, followed by Mun Hua Ho of Malaysia with 9.67 points.

This was Khanh's second medal he has won in Nay Pyi Taw. Earlier, he earned a bronze medal in the nandao event.

"I had torn a stomach muscle before taking part in the SEA Games, which created difficulties during training. Luckily, I managed to win a gold medal during these Games," said Khanh.

"It is one of my most valuable medals in my 20-year career. I am very happy with the success."

This was Khanh's second medal awarded him in Nay Pyi Taw. Earlier, he earned a bronze medal in the nandao event.

"I told him to do as he did at Malaysia's world championships, which was enough to win. Khanh not only did it, he performed even better than I expected," said coach Le Minh Ha.

Khanh's gold medal was the fifth for the wushu team, which set an earlier target of only three gold medals. Last Games, Vietnamese athletes brought home four titles.

The team, ranked second behind the hosts, will return home today and not take part in the SEA Games' opening ceremony tonight, Dec 11.

In other sports news, quartet Nguyen Thi Mai, Nguyen Thi Duyen, Nguyen Thi Le and Kieu Thi Hao took a silver medal in the women's canoeing K4 1,000m event.

Their male teammates, Nguyen Thanh Sang and Luu Thanh Vung, came in third in the C2 1,000m class.

In women's futsal (indoor football), the Vietnamese trounced Myanmar 6-0 in their first match. In the next game tomorrow, they will play Indonesia.
Viet Nam, with nine gold medal, is in second place in the medal tally. Host Myanmar continues to hold the lead with 17 gold medals. Indonesia is in third place with five gold medals. 

Minh receives wildcard
The SEA Games badminton draw selected Vietnamese top player Nguyen Tien Minh to start in the quarter-final round at the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar today.

As the No 1 seed, Minh will play Avihingsanon Suppaya of Thailand, an unseeded player, who unexpectedly defeated Chong Wei Feng of Malaysia in the first round. Chong came into the tournament at No 3 and is ranked No 15 in the world.

Minh, ranked No 8 in the world, is set to play Chong in the quarter-final match.

"In theory, Suppanyu is a weaker rival, compared to Chong. However, I have not met Suppanyu in the past, so I think it will not be easy to defeat him if he maintains his performance against Chong," said Minh, who later added that he was confident he would win.

Minh is expected to take home his first SEA Games gold medal this year. 

Viet Nam thrash Laos
Viet Nam's women's football team defeated Laos 11-0 in a friendly match on Monday in Mandalay, Myanmar.

The Vietnamese team pocketed seven goals in the first half, with Minh Nguyet scoring a hat trick and Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Thi Muon and Tuyet Dung each scoring twice. In the second half, substitute player Quynh Nhu shot two goals, while Nguyen Thi Lieu and Nguyen Thi Hoa completed the victory with one goal each.

Viet Nam was scheduled to play Indonesia today in their first match of Group A. However, Indonesia has withdrawn, leaving Viet Nam to play the Philippines on Friday.

The friendly match was considered an activity to keep athletes' morale high before starting their tournament, where they will defend their title.

First gold for Vietnam at 27th SEA Games

VIETNAM UPDATED. Wushu athlete Duong Thuy Vi won Vietnam’s first gold medal at the 27th Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar, triumphing in the women’s Jianshu on December 7.

Vi finished first with 9.70 points, closely followed by Myanmar’s Sandy Oo with 9.69 points and Malaysia’s Eyin Phoon with 9.64 points.

Vi won a gold, a silver, and a bronze medal at the 2013 World Wushu Championships in Malaysia last month.

Her teammate Bui Minh Phuong earned a silver medal in the women’s Nanquan.

Xuan Hiep was unable to repeat his 2011 silver medal performance in the men’s Changquan, placing third with 9.68 points. Myanmar’s Aung Si Thu won gold (9.70 points), followed by Indonesian athlete Achmad Hulaefi (9.69 points).

Nguyen Thanh Tung’s 9.54 points was only good enough for 8th in the fiercely competitive men’s Taijiquan.
vietnamnet.vn
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Giang Adds Second Gold to Games Tally

VIETNAM UPDATED. The wushu martial artist won her title in the women's changquan event, scoring 9.68 points.
Giang, 21, was selected for the team following her silver medal performance at the world championships in Malaysia in October.

Giang earned a perfect score in her strongest taolu (performance) category, leaving behind Yan Ni Tan of Singapore, who earned 9.60 points, and Thailia Lovita from Indonesia, with 9.59 points.

"I am really happy with my first-ever SEA Games gold medal. I am good in changquan, but I dared not think about victory before stepping onto the competition mat. I am really surprised about myself and this success," said Giang, commenting about her triumph after not winning during two earlier Games.

After nine years training in wushu, Giang has won more than 40 titles, but she said all of those can not compare with the gold medal she has now won at the SEA Games.

Also in this category, Duong Thuy Vi of Viet Nam came in fifth place.

However, on Saturday Vi won the first gold medal for her team in the women's jianshu competition.

In her third Games, world silver medallist Vi score 9.70 points to win.

Vi was the last Vietnamese athlete competing for the day, after teammates failed to come in first in their events.

She was under great pressure and performed better than expected.

"I was really worried and felt the pressure on my shoulders. My coaches encouraged me a lot, asking me to be free, like when I am training at home. It was an honour that I have brought home the first gold for Viet Nam at these Games," said Vi.

Earlier, Tran Xuan Hiep came in third in the men's changquan, and Bui Minh Phuong stood second in the women's nanquan event.

Wushu competitions will continue until tomorrow and, according to coach Nguyen Van Chuong, the team is expecting to win two more gold medals.

Yesterday afternoon also saw competitions in sanshou (combat) events. Nguyen Thi Chinh is the first Vietnamese to earn a final match berth, after beating Friska Ria Wibowo of Indonesia 2-0 in the women's 48kg class.

Nguyen Hoai Thu followed, after winning 2-0 over Myanmar's Su Hlaing Oo in the women's 52kg pool.

Earlier, their male teammates, To Van Bau and Hoang Van Cao, won bronze medals in the 48kg and 56kg, after losing in the semi-final rounds.

Viet Nam rank fifth with two gold medals, one silver and three bronze.

Host Myanmar currently lead the medal tally with eight gold medals, two silver and three bronze. Malaysia and Thailand are second and third, respectively. 
Source: VNS

Field Hockey Squad to Debut at SEA Games

VIETNAM UPDATED. Viet Nam's field hockey team will make history when, for the first time, it competes at the SEA Games during this week's first international tournament.

The sport, which has been played in Viet Nam for about 10 years but has not become popular, also marks its return to the regional biennial tournament after eight years, since last being played during the Games in 2005 in Manila, the Philippines.

 
Although field hockey is a newcomer at the SEA Games, and all members are not professional athletes, the Vietnamese set a target of winning a bronze medal during their debut competition.

"We have always dreamed that one day we could wear the national jersey. Now it comes true, surprisingly. I and my teammates all know our responsibilities when representing Viet Nam in this regional competition. We will try our best to write a story," said Huynh Dai Phuc, one of the most experienced players on the team.

"We hope that through these games, field hockey will be more widely popularised in our country, and more people will come and the sport will develop strongly," said the coach assistant.
The 17-member team will depart on December 11 and meet the Singapore team in their first match at Thein Phyu Stadium in Yangon City.

At the 27th SEA Games there are five teams competing in the men's tournament and six in the women's (Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Myanmar). 
vietnamnet.vn
 

Vietnam Wins Four More Golds at SEA Games

VIETNAM UPDATED. Vietnam bagged four more gold medals on December 9 at the ongoing 27 th SEA Games, putting it second on the medal tally with six golds, three silvers and five bronzes, only behind the host Myanmar .

Chinh defeated Filipino Divine Wally 1-0 in the women's 48kg category in wushu's sanshou (combat). While Thu won 2-0 over Evita Elise Zamora, also from the Philippines, in the women's 52kg class.

"We have performed better than expected. We won four golds in total, compared to a target of 2-3 sets before departing," said Le Minh Ha, head of the wushu team.

Earlier, two gold medals went to Duong Thuy Vi and Hoang Thi Phuong Giang in taolu (performance) events.

Yesterday also saw two silver and one bronze medals won by the taolu artists.

In the men's nandao event, Nguyen Quoc Khanh came in third with 9.67 points, ranking behind athletes from Wai Phyo Aung of Myanmar (9.69) and Mun Hua Ho of Malaysia (9.68).

Earlier, Nguyen Manh Quyen took second place in the men's daoshu event and Vi pocketed her second medal, a silver, in the women's quiangshu pool.

"The results of the team are what we planned at home, because all gold medallists are those who competed perfectly at the recent World Games and world championships," Ha said.

Ha said, during the last day of taolu event today, that the team is expected to win in the men's nangun and women's duilian.

Successful wrestlers

Doi Dang Tien won the first gold medal for the wrestling squad after winning 7-0 over Kritsada of Thailand in the men's 55kg Greco-Roman event's third match held in Yangon City.

Earlier, Tien, 22, defeated Margitto Argana of the Philippines, a former champion, in a 7-4 victory. Argana was the winner of the event at the two past Games.

"It is really difficult to talk about my feelings at my first SEA Games participation. I am proud and happy," said Tien, who lost during two previous Games.

"I was nervous when facing the champion in the first match, but I thought that nothing was impossible. I paid attention to the match and only thought of the competition, and then I won," said Tien, whose later games were much easier.

Following him, Tran Van Tuong won his gold medal in the men's 66kg Greco-

Roman.

Tuong trounced Lao athlete Khemthong 5-0 in the final match.

Yesterday's third wrestler for Viet Nam, Pham Sy Thu, beat Noelnorada of the Philippines in the men's 60kg Greco-Roman repechase round and took a bronze medal.

Viet Nam has won six gold medals and jumped to second place in the ranking table. Host Myanmar remains strongly on top with 11 gold medals.

Today, athletes will continue their competitions with all eyes on Nay Pyi Taw where men's football matches of Group B will be played. Viet Nam will play Singapore, while Laos faces Brunei in the afternoon.

In the morning, Viet Nam's Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister, Hoang Anh Tuan, and Vietnamese athletes will take part in the flag raising ceremony at the Athletes Village in Nay Pyi Taw. 

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Photo: Kicker: Vietnamese Nguyen Thu Hoai (left) takes a wushu's sanshou gold medal after beating Filipino Evita Elise Zamora in the final of the women's 52kg category at the ongoing 27th SEA Games in Myanmar.

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Source: VNS

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Vietnam Cruise Past Brunei in SEA Games

VIETNAM UPDATED. Vietnam started their SEA Games campaign with a strong signal of intent as they crushed Brunei 7-0 in the opening match of Group A

Brunei's unusual tactic of playing a high defensive line backfired spectacularly as the speedy Vietnamese raced to a 3-0 lead before the half-time break, courtesy of goals from Vu Minh Tuan, Minh Tuan Ha and Le Van Thang.

Apart from a few long-range efforts Brunei were largely restricted to defensive duties in the first-half.

The game was effectively killed off eight minutes after the restart as Thang grabbed his second goal of the game to make it 4-0.

Despite the scoreline, Brunei hung on to their defensive tactic and were woefully punished as Tran Manh Dung, Mac Hong Quan and Phi Son Tran got themselves on the scoresheet to make it a resounding 7-0 for the night.

Brunei's Korean coach Kwon Oh Soon lamented the lack of preparation for his team's poor display.

"We lacked preparation for the SEA Games, our team has a lot of weaknesses, and there's a big gap between our players and Vietnamese players," admitted Kwon as he spoke to Goal after the match.

"They are professional players, but we hope in the next match we will get a better performance than today."

Vietnam's Hong Van Phuc on the other hand was delighted with his side's showing and was hopeful of making it through to the next round."The opening match is very important for our team," Hong told Goal.

"We couldn't get good form till 15 minutes in and we lost two or three chances to take the lead. We played long balls but it was not effective, so we changed our style of play. I hope we will reach the semi-final."

Vietnam next face Singapore on Tuesday. The Young Lions could only register a disappointing 1-1 result in their opening fixture against Laos who played with 10 men for almost the entirety of the match.

Vietnam Rolls Past Brunei 7-0, Singapore Held Back by Laos with Late Equalizer

Vietnam schooled Brunei in the perils of playing a high line against a much better opponent on Sunday, beating their SEA Games’ rivals 7-0, with most of the Vietnamese goals coming on breaks from both right and left as Brunei’s defenders pushed forward.
Vietnam coach Hoang Van Phuc said after the match it was apparent Brunei was trying to catch his players offside.

“But we saw that tactic and were able to score three times from breaks and missed several other chances from the same position,” he said.

After a tentative first few minutes in which neither team seemed prepared to take the game to the other, Vietnam broke through with several shots that tested Brunei keeper Abdul Hafiz abdul Rahim from both flanks.

A fine save on Vietnam’s Tran Manh Dung on 12 minutes appeared to give the Bruneians some life, but the spark was quickly extinguished as Vu Minh Tuan finished after Dung collected a long ball from Vietnam goalie Tran NyugenManh and passed it onto Tuan for the goal.

Three minutes later Ha Minh Tuan put Vietnam up 2-0 and Le Van Thang made it 3-0 two minutes before the half.

Except for a flurry of long tries that never really threatened Vietnam keeper Manh, Brunei was held on the defensive throughout the first half.

In the second, Brunei pushed hard for the first seven or eight minutes, but a second goal by Thang on 53 minutes quickly deflated the Bruneians.

In the 59th minute, Brunei managed a shot on Manh, but he easily handled the long-range effort from Adi Said.

Even after being stung four times, Brunei’s back four continued to try to hold barely short of the centerline to support some sort of Brunei attack, but the obvious fitness and speed edges of Vietnam’s attackers left Hafiz abdul Rahim in the Brunei goal facing onslaught after onslaught of red-shirted Vietnamese.

Realizing Brunei simply had no attack worth worrying about, Vietnam flooded the box with up to six attackers on occasion.

On 65 minutes, Dung picked up his second goal of the evening, followed three minutes later by a blast from Mac Hong Quan that left Hafiz abdul Rahim with no chance.

Quan had come on only a minute or two earlier as Dung’s substitute.

Tran Phi Son wrapped up the Vietnamese scoring with a curling beauty from 20 meters on 82 minutes.

Brunei coach Kwon Oh Soon admitted after the match his players were outplayed, outclassed and out-trained.

“We really didn’t have the level of Vietnam,” he said.

Vietnam coach Phuc said he was satisfied with the day’s effort, but he warned the next matches will much tougher.

“The result doesn’t really tell us much because our opponent in the next game will be much better,” Phuc concluded.

In the late game Laos came back in the second half to fire home an equalizer and draw with Singapore 1-1.
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