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Athletics

Walker Nguyễn Thành Ngưng seen practising on the Đà Nẵng Nationwide Sport Coaching Centre. Ngưng expects first SEA Video games title this Might. Picture of Nguyễn Thành Ngưng

HÀ NỘI — Whereas most individuals spent the latest nine-day Lunar New Yr vacation consuming, ingesting and spending time with their family members, Nguyễn Thành Ngưng was placing within the onerous mileage and maintaining to his strict coaching regime, in preparation for the strolling occasion on the Southeast Asian (SEA) Video games.

Ngưng, together with a whole bunch of Việt Nam’s track-and-field athletes, has been in intensive coaching for the SEA Video games in Might in Việt Nam.

To them, this Video games is extra necessary than some other as they are going to be competing on dwelling turf.

“I gained a bronze medal in my SEA Video games debut in 2011 in Indonesia, and haven’t bettered that outcome since,” mentioned Ngưng.

“After I competed in Asian championships, I walked quicker than the SEA Video games gold medalists. However for the reason that 2011 SEA Video games, I went dwelling empty-handed. I’ll do my greatest this yr.” 

The 29-year-old will be thought of among the best walkers in ASEAN. He received the best outcome amongst ASEAN athletes on the Asian Championships. He was the one ASEAN competitor on the Rio Olympic Video games in 2016.

His private greatest within the 20km stroll can also be a nationwide file, at 1hr 23.26min, about eight minutes quicker than SEA Video games reigning champion Hendro Yap of Indonesia.

Ngưng has dominated the nationwide championships for greater than a decade. Final December’s victory was his twelfth title in a row, promising him a berth within the SEA Video games workforce.

“Successful a SEA Video games gold is my lifetime want. It could be way more fantastic if I could make it on dwelling soil,” Ngưng mentioned.

Sharing the identical dream is Phạm Thị Hồng Lệ, who will compete within the marathon and 10,000m occasions.

Lệ gained bronze and silver on the earlier Video games within the Philippines. 

After a profitable 2021, she believes she has an opportunity of grabbing gold this Video games.

“I feel my most outstanding outcome was getting the title on the nationwide marathon championship. Then, my gold on the nationwide athletics championship within the 10,000m,”  Lệ mentioned. She took the marathon title again solely a yr after dropping it, and arrange a nationwide file.

Phạm Thị Hồng Lệ (proper) competes within the 2021 Nationwide Athletics Championship. She targets a gold medal within the marathon occasion on the thirty first SEA Video games. Picture courtesy of Triệu Linh

“The thirty first SEA Video games might be a uncommon alternative for me and my teammates. Not each athlete has such a particular likelihood to win gold at dwelling. The possibility comes and may not return (in a profession of an athlete), so I’ll do every thing to win,” mentioned Lệ.

Lệ’s marathon results of 2hr 52min is significantly better than Filipino Christine Hallasgo’s 2:56.56 that gained the 2019 gold medal. In the meantime, the Vietnamese nationwide file of 34min 1.59sec within the 10,000m left her teammate Phạm Thị Huệ’s 36:23.24 far behind. Huệ is SEA Video games reigning champion.

Having not gained a person gold ever, siblings Quách Công Lịch and Quách Thị Lan are desirous to be champions within the coming SEA Video games.

They compete within the women and men’s 400m hurdles and spent all new yr holidays on the Hà Nội Nationwide Sports activities Coaching Centre, their first time away so removed from dwelling.

“We regularly undergo accidents previous to worldwide tournaments, particularly SEA Video games, and so can not carry out to the most effective of our skill. We can not win gold with a poor mentality,” mentioned Lịch.

At Hà Nội’s Video games, Lan has set herself to win within the 400m and 400m hurdles, whereas Lịch hopes to place in his greatest efficiency but. Each hope to defend their titles within the relay.

Quách Công Lịch hopes to win his first particular person gold within the 400m hurdles on the thirty first SEA Video games. Picture courtesy of Triệu Linh

“It’s tough to speak about our outcomes on the coming SEA Video games. However we consider that we are going to attain our targets,” Lan mentioned.

“The thirty first Video games is a crucial event of the yr, and we’ve been working very onerous all through holidays. Staying removed from dwelling in these days was not comfy for us, however we inspired one another and centered on practising to beat being homesick.” 

Metres away from these middle-distance runners, Nguyễn Văn Lai was warming up for his coaching.

Lai needs to take again his 5,000m and 10,000m titles after dropping each to Thai Kieran Tuntivate within the earlier Video games.

“I hope to enhance my time within the remaining months earlier than the SEA Video games. 5,000m is my robust level and I wish to move Tuntivate, who stole my gold by one second,” mentioned Lai, who has a private better of 14:04.82.

The 36-year-old gained in these two occasions over the previous 12 years and dominated the regional competitors in 2013, 2015 and 2017, earlier than Tuntivate joined the Thai workforce.  VNS