PANO – Vietnamese swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien on November 17 set a new Asian record in the 400m individual medley event with 4 minutes 37.71 seconds at the Asian Swimming Championship 2016 in Japan.

Her runner-up was Shimizu Sakiko from Japan, who clocked at 4 minutes 40.29 seconds.

The old Asian record was 4 minutes 41.29 seconds struck by Chinese athlete Liu Jing in 2002.

Athlete Ho Thi Kim Ngan (2nd from R) won Taekwondo gold medal in the 44kg category at the WTF World Taekwondo Junior Championships

With the new record, Vien also brought home the first gold medal of the Vietnamese team at this championship, taking place on November 17-20.

* The same day, athlete Ho Thi Kim Ngan, 15, won Taekwondo gold medal in the 44kg category for Vietnam at the WTF World Taekwondo Junior Championships. She defeated Maria, her Costa Rican rival, 5-2 in the final on the afternoon of November 17 (Vietnam time).

The tournament for athletes between 14 and 16 years old is taking place in Canada from November 16 to 20.

Besides, Ngan, eight other Vietnamese athletes, still competing at the championships, include Minh Hung (men’s 63kg), Minh Thang (men’s 51kg), Dang Quang (men’s 55kg), Do Thi Hien (women’s 46kg), Vu Thi Dung (women’s 52kg), Bac Thi Khiem (women’s 63kg), Kim Tuyen (women’s 49kg), and Hong Han (women’s 55kg).

Vietnam expects Dang Quang to also bring home a medal from the event.

Translated by Chung Anh