Vu Thi Huong pulled off a season's best performance in the women's 100msprint on Nov. 22, but it was not enough to satisfy Vietnam 'sdesire for their first gold medal at the 16th Asian Games in
Guangzhou.
The queen of Southeast Asian sprinting finished third for a bronze medal in a time of 11.43sec.
Vietnam 's fastest woman improved as the competition went on, havingrun 11.56 in Noc. 21's qualifier and 11.46 in Nov. 22's semi-final. Butit was not enough for her to top the podium as Japan 's ChisatoFukushima, the Asian champion, stole the limelight with a time of 11.33.
The 22-year-old beat defending champion Guzel Khubbieva of Uzbekistan by just one hundredth of a second in a photo finish.
"It [11.43] is not my personal best but it is my best for this season,"said Huong. "Winning a medal is a good result for me because I have puta lot of effort into it."
Huong's bronze could not makeVietnam 's managers smile but they took comfort in the fact that itwas the country's first track and field medal ever at the Asian Games.
Coach Nguyen Dinh Minh said he was satisfied with Huong's performance."She ran well today despite a slower start compared to her rivals," saidMinh.
Duong Duc Thuy, head of the Athletics Department, said the bronze was very important for Vietnamese athletics.
"It is great success and a big step for Vietnam as it's our firstbronze in such a major sport at an event where all the athletes aim forthe highest target."
There were high hopes for Vietnam ahead of the final, as Huong lined up alongside teammate Le Ngoc Phuong.
Phuong surpassed her coach's expectations this year, by leading homeher heat before qualifying for Nov. 22's final with a personal best timeof 11.65. The An Giang province-born athlete had not been expected tomake it through the heats and was competing at the Games to get anexperience of international competition.
However, Phuongfailed to repeat her time in the final, finishing last in 11.76. Phuongwill pair with Huong and two other athletes in the 4x100m relay todaybefore she participates in the 200m tomorrow.
On the men'sside, only Nguyen Dinh Cuong of Vietnam competed on Nov. 22 in the1,500m. Cuong, who dominated the Southeast Asian Games, could not repeatthe feat at the higher continental level, and failed to qualify for thefinal.
The Ninh Binh province athlete will take part in the 800m on Nov. 24.
In other news, Vietnam 's girls defeated Myanmar 21-9, 23-21 inthe sepak takraw's regu event. They will next meet hosts China onNov. 23.
It was Vietnam 's only win on Nov. 22.Earlier, Vietnam lost 199-226 to Japan in the men's team archery.While Ngo Thi Chung and Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai were sent home after theirdefeats in the women's boxing. The fencers also suffered a loss of 22-45to Japan in the women's foil quarter-finals.
Vietnam ended the tenth day of competitions with 11 silver and 12 bronze medals, standing at 25th./.
Guangzhou.
The queen of Southeast Asian sprinting finished third for a bronze medal in a time of 11.43sec.
Vietnam 's fastest woman improved as the competition went on, havingrun 11.56 in Noc. 21's qualifier and 11.46 in Nov. 22's semi-final. Butit was not enough for her to top the podium as Japan 's ChisatoFukushima, the Asian champion, stole the limelight with a time of 11.33.
The 22-year-old beat defending champion Guzel Khubbieva of Uzbekistan by just one hundredth of a second in a photo finish.
"It [11.43] is not my personal best but it is my best for this season,"said Huong. "Winning a medal is a good result for me because I have puta lot of effort into it."
Huong's bronze could not makeVietnam 's managers smile but they took comfort in the fact that itwas the country's first track and field medal ever at the Asian Games.
Coach Nguyen Dinh Minh said he was satisfied with Huong's performance."She ran well today despite a slower start compared to her rivals," saidMinh.
Duong Duc Thuy, head of the Athletics Department, said the bronze was very important for Vietnamese athletics.
"It is great success and a big step for Vietnam as it's our firstbronze in such a major sport at an event where all the athletes aim forthe highest target."
There were high hopes for Vietnam ahead of the final, as Huong lined up alongside teammate Le Ngoc Phuong.
Phuong surpassed her coach's expectations this year, by leading homeher heat before qualifying for Nov. 22's final with a personal best timeof 11.65. The An Giang province-born athlete had not been expected tomake it through the heats and was competing at the Games to get anexperience of international competition.
However, Phuongfailed to repeat her time in the final, finishing last in 11.76. Phuongwill pair with Huong and two other athletes in the 4x100m relay todaybefore she participates in the 200m tomorrow.
On the men'sside, only Nguyen Dinh Cuong of Vietnam competed on Nov. 22 in the1,500m. Cuong, who dominated the Southeast Asian Games, could not repeatthe feat at the higher continental level, and failed to qualify for thefinal.
The Ninh Binh province athlete will take part in the 800m on Nov. 24.
In other news, Vietnam 's girls defeated Myanmar 21-9, 23-21 inthe sepak takraw's regu event. They will next meet hosts China onNov. 23.
It was Vietnam 's only win on Nov. 22.Earlier, Vietnam lost 199-226 to Japan in the men's team archery.While Ngo Thi Chung and Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai were sent home after theirdefeats in the women's boxing. The fencers also suffered a loss of 22-45to Japan in the women's foil quarter-finals.
Vietnam ended the tenth day of competitions with 11 silver and 12 bronze medals, standing at 25th./.
