SEA Games: Vietnam wins first ever tennis gold

Ly Hoang Nam defeated fellow compatriot Daniel Cao Nguyen in men’s tennis singles Friday to become the first Vietnamese to win a gold medal in this discipline.

Nam enjoyed the historic victory with a score of 6-2 and 6-4 after two sets, leaving the silver medal to Daniel in the all-Vietnamese men's singles final. Meanwhile, Savanna Ly Nguyen bagged a silver medal after losing both sets to Indonesia's Sutjiadi Aldila.

In the doubles events, Nam and Le Quoc Khanh won a bronze medal in men's category while Phan Thi Thanh Binh and Tran Thuy Thanh Truc bagged another in the women's category.

Nguyen Thi Anh Vien, nickednamed Vietnam's Little Mermaid, brought home two more gold medals for Vietnam in the women's 200 m backstroke and 200 m freestyle in two minutes 15.32 seconds and 2:00.75 respectively.

Swimmer Le Nguyen Paul fetched a bronze medal in the men's 100 m butterfly with the finshing time of 53.89 seconds, behind Singapore's Schooling Joseph Isaac who won the gold medal for completing his race in 51.84 seconds.

Paul later joined his teammates Ngo Dinh Chuyen, Tran Hung Nguyen and Hoang Quy Phuoc to compete in the 4x100 m freestyle relay but were slower than Singapore and the Philippines to come in third place, adding another bronze Vietnam.

Vietnam's national canoeing team roped in the first gold medal thanks to Truong Thi Phuong who completed the singles 500 m final with 0.31 second faster than Andriyani Riska from the host country. Tran Thanh and Bui Thanh Pham snapped a bronze medal in the men's doubles 1000 m while Tran Van Vu earned a silver medal in kayak men's singles 1000 m discipline.

Nguyen Thi That added a gold medal in cycling women's road event mass start individual final. The cycler from An Giang Province distanced herself from other rivals quite early in the race and completed the 108 km track in three hours 23 minutes and 57 seconds.

Le Anh Tai defeated his Thailand opponent to bag a gold medal in judo men's 90 kg weight class. Other martial artists pocketed three more metals across different weight classes with Nguyen Thi Nhu Y claimed one silver in women's over 78 kg, Nguyen Chau Hoang Lan collected one bronze in men's over 100 kg and Vo Thi Phuong Quynh won a bronze in medal in the women's 78 kg. Martial Duong Thi Quynh Nhu also won a bronze metal in sampo women's 80 kg discipline.

As for fencing, Vietnam raked in one gold medal in men's team foil thanks to Vu Thanh An, Nguyen Xuan Loi, To Duc Anh, Nguyen Van Quyet and earned a silver medal in women's team sabre because of Do Thi Anh, Nguyen Thu Phuong, Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, Luu Thi Thanh Nhan.

Runner Pham Thi Hong Le clocked the women's marathon in three hours two minutes and 52 seconds, finishing five minute and 56 second slower than gold medalist Hallasgo Christine from the Philippines.

Ngo Phuong Mai snatched a bronze metal in women's 3 m springboard diving with a total score of 241.25, below Malaysia's Ng Yan Yee who came in first place with a total point of 298.90.

Nguyen Thi Thuy Kieu and Thach Thi Anh Lan only earned 10 points in semifinal of women's petanque doubles discipline and collected a bronze medal. They lost to Laos' Sengchanphet Aly and Phanthaly Phetsamone who received 13 points.

Vietnam has slipped down on the latest medal tally ranking for winning only 38 gold medals so far in the tournament. The host nation continues to top the list with 71 gold medals, followed by Indonesia with 40 gold medals.