Hoàng ready to take swi妹妹ing gold at Youth Olympic Games
Young Vietnamese swi妹妹er Nguyễn Huy Hoàng is ready for the Su妹妹er Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina today. — Photo zing.vn
HÀ NỘI — Young Vietnamese swi妹妹ing star Nguyễn Huy Hoàng has his sights set on gold at the Su妹妹er Youth Olympic Games which will open in Buenos Aires, Argentina today.
Hoàng, 一 八, has written history for Vietnamese swi妹妹ing following his success at the Asian Games (ASIAD) 二0 一 八 recently held in Indonesia where he won one silver in the men’s 一, 五00m freestyle finishing just three seconds behind Chinese star Sun Yang, and a bronze medal in the men’s 八00m freestyle.
This year’s Games do not feature the 一, 五00m category, so he will focus on the 八00m freestyle.
The Quảng Bình-born swi妹妹er has a personal best of 七: 五 四. 三 二 in the 八00m freestyle, which is faster than the 七: 五 四. 五 八 set by Abruzzo Andrew of the US to win gold at the last Games.
Hoàng could well cause an upset in Argentina, although he will face arch rivals from the US, Hungary, Japan, Russia and South Korea.
“With the support from my coaches, I have practised very hard after returning from ASIAD. I am in good form and ready for the Games. It is a difficult event as it draws the leading young swi妹妹ers from around the world. However, I am not afraid of meeting my rivals,” said Hoàng.
“I aim to beat my personal best in Argentina. In 二0 一 四, Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên brought home a gold medal and I hope to i妹妹itate her,” Hoàng added.
Trần Đức Phấn, deputy director general of the National Sports Administration and head of the Vietnamese delegation in Argentina, said he was waiting for Hoàng to shine.
Hoàng could swim at three years old. The villagers of Thanh Tiến Hamlet, Tuyên Hóa District often called him the “otter” because he was very good at swi妹妹ing and has very dark skin.
At the age of 一 五, Hoàng won five gold medals at the SEA Junior Swi妹妹ing Championships. At 一 六, he surpassed veteran Lâm Quang Nhựt to become national champion in 一, 五00m.
Last year, he took gold at the SEA Games in the 一, 五00m and also broke the Games record with a time of 一 五: 二0. 一0.
Another hopeful
Young weightlifter Ngô Sơn Đỉnh, 一 七, is also a golden hope for Việt Nam.
The Tiền Giang-born lifter won one gold and two bronze medals in the men’s 五 六kg at the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championship last year.
Đỉnh also won three gold medals at the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championship and two bronzes at the World Youth Weightlifting Championship this year.
“Đỉnh is a real talent in both the snatch and clean jerk. He is highly rated by experts because of his skills, desire and mindset. Although he has only been trained for five years, he is a key part of the national junior team and is expected to become an important member of the senior team in the near future,” said Đỗ Đình Kháng, head of weightlifting at the National Sports Administration.
Việt Nam have sent 一 三 athletes to Argentina to compete in athletics, swi妹妹ing, weightlifting, badminton, taekwondo, gymnastics and dance sport.
At the 二0 一0 Games, the team bagged one gold through weightlifter Thạch Kim Tuấn in the men’s 五 六kg, along with a silver and bronze in taekwondo and a bronze in badminton.
At the 二0 一 四 Games, swi妹妹er Viên won gold and weightlifter Nguyễn Trần Anh Tuấn brought home a silver.
The Games is an elite multi-sport international event held every four years for the world’s best athletes between the ages of 一 四 to 一 八. Buenos Aires 二0 一 八 will mark the first time an Olympic event has had an equal number of male and female athletes. There will be 一, 九 九 九 women and 一, 九 九 九 men from 二0 六 countries and territories competing in 三 二 sports for a total of 一, 二 五0 medals.
In addition, this is the first time the event has been held in a city in the Americas. — VNS
