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SEA Video games
Võ Xuân Vĩnh on the highest podium of the lads’s 20,000m stroll at the thirty first SEA Video games. Vĩnh gained Việt Nam’s first-ever title on this class. VNA/VNS Photograph
Thanh Hà
Võ Xuân Vĩnh walked the ultimate steps to cross the end line and went straight to his spouse and hugged her tightly to have fun his SEA Video games gold medal.
It was his first title at what was his fifth time collaborating within the regional sports activities meet. He had acquired sturdy encouragement from family and friends, particularly his spouse and two daughters, making the second even sweeter.
The primary celebration was additionally his final on this occasion as Vĩnh plans to problem himself in a brand new sport, triathlon.
Some days earlier, military man Nguyễn Văn Lai accomplished his double titles, marking his comeback within the males’s 5,000m and 10,000m occasions.
Nonetheless, his profitable return may be his final as a result of he has set his eyes on competing within the marathon.
Time to modify
“This victory is for my spouse. She accompanied me on a regular basis, staying behind me in all actions, serving to me lots throughout my observe and flying right here to help me,” Vĩnh mentioned.
Born in Đà Nẵng Metropolis’s Hòa Vang District in 1990, Vĩnh has been concerned in strolling since he was a bit of boy.
Vĩnh has been probably the greatest athletes within the stroll race for nearly a decade. Nonetheless, he has by no means gained the nationwide championship and has been below the shadow of gifted Nguyễn Thành Ngưng, additionally from Đà Nẵng, who has topped for 12 years in a row.
Vĩnh, nevertheless, has all the time excelled within the SEA Video games.
Whereas Ngưng may solely take bronze on the 2011 Video games, Vĩnh secured silvers in 2013, 2015 and 2019.
He has been dubbed the ‘King of Second Place’ as a consequence of his consecutive silvers within the final three Video games.
The 31-year-old athlete lastly reached the highest podium on the Video games in Might, and he put an finish to his undesirable nickname, profitable Việt Nam’s first males’s title in stroll race historical past on the Video games.
“I anticipated lots on this SEA Video games on residence turf after all of the silvers beforehand. I used to be left behind for some interval in the event, however lastly I made it,” Vĩnh mentioned.
“That is my most profitable SEA Video games however would be the final one I competed within the strolling race. I wish to take a look at my potential within the triathlon.
“I first practised swimming earlier than shifting to strolling so that can not be a giant downside. Strolling and operating are the identical in some strategies. Working will undoubtedly not be my concern. However biking is. I must work laborious on that,” he mentioned.
His plan has acquired sturdy help from the home triathlon and duathlon group which has been creating lately.
SEA Video games duathlon champion Phạm Tiến Sản clapped his fingers on Vĩnh’s intention and mentioned: “It’s a nice thought! Welcome ‘on board! Strive laborious, mate!”
Vĩnh stays eager on stepping into a brand new self-discipline.
“I hope that I’ll have an opportunity to compete within the subsequent SEA Video games and be a Việt Nam consultant within the triathlon,” he mentioned.
Give up however not retired
Military man Lai did not defend his title in each 5,000m and 10,000m within the 2019 Video games within the Philippines, dropping to Thailand’s America-born runner Kieran Tuntivate.
Nguyễn Văn Lai competes within the males’s 10,000m occasion on the thirty first SEA Video games on Might 17. VNA/VNS Photograph
Lai didn’t even take into consideration taking his crown again on this 12 months’s Video games as a result of Tuntivate has set a brand new Asian document within the 5,000m occasion in February. However, unexpectedly Tuntivate suffered an damage a day earlier than the race and needed to withdraw.
“I used to be a bit of fortunate that my sturdy rival from Thailand couldn’t compete. My outcome on this Video games was not so good as anticipated. Due to Tuntivate’s absence, I did not have that further competitiveness. However I used to be happy with my gold medal,” Lai mentioned of his fourth SEA Video games 5,000m title on Might 15.
Two days later, he met nearly no problem profitable the ten,000m occasion, his fourth victory at the regional sports activities meet.
“I used to be so pleased for this gold. It was so shifting to see many individuals — supporters, household and leaders — watching me cross the end line. This victory was so significant to me,” Lai mentioned.
He initially had thought he couldn’t win gold on the age of 36, subsequently, after the victories, he determined to delay his retirement plan.
“I imagine that I’ll not be sturdy sufficient to run in these two occasions at the 2023 Video games. However I would transfer to run within the full marathon,” he mentioned.
“I wish to take a look at my potential and see my limitations, so the marathon is an effective alternative. Switching to a brand new occasion can also be a technique to renew myself and make a sturdy power to step ahead.”
Nguyễn Văn Lai cheered together with his supporters on his technique to the end line of the lads’s 5,000m occasion on the thirty first SEA Video games on Might 15. VNA/VNS Photograph
The Thanh Hóa Province-born soldier ran on the VnExpress Marathon’s half marathon occasion in Huế Metropolis in April, which he thought-about a take a look at for his SEA Video games competitors, and efficiently took high prize with a time of 1hr 10min 36sec.
“I’ll participate in a single or two marathon occasions, and if the outcomes are good, I’ll set my plans. And whether it is attainable, you might even see me within the marathon at the subsequent Video games in Cambodia,” he mentioned. VNS
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