After nearly one year of rest because of injuries, runner Vu Thi Huong on September 16 returned impressively, setting a national record in the women’s 100m race.

Runner Vu Thi Huong.

The new record was 11.43 seconds, while her previous record at the 24^th Southeast Asian Games was 11.47 seconds. Notably, Huong left the silver-medal winner, Le Ngoc Phuong, several metres behind.

She also helped her team, An Giang province, to win the gold medal in the women’s 4×200m relay race.

Meanwhile, Hanoi’s Bui Duy Thuong obtained a gold medal in men’s 100m category. Nguyen Van Lai of the Military Team won the gold medal for men’s 500m race. Lai has just returned from China after one year of training. The Military team also took the gold medal for men’s 4×200 relay race.

Other gold medals presented on the first day of the National Track and Field Championships 2009 include: a triple jump gold medal for Hanoi’s Nguyen Van Hung, Nghe An’s Ngo Dang Quang with a gold medal for men’s weightlifting, Vinh Long’s Nguyen Thi Yen Trang with the gold medal for women’s weightlifting, Vinh Long Trinh Tan Nhanh winning the gold medal for men’s hammer throw, Hanoi’s Nguyen Thi Bac earning the gold medal for women’s 400m hurdles and Military Team’s Vu Van Tinh with the gold medal for men’s 400m hurdles.

Vietnam’s top male high jumper Nguyen Duy Bang of Ben Tre province disappointed fans by clearing just 2m. As a result, Thua Thien – Hue city’s Tran Cong Phuoc won the gold medal with 2.11m.

The tournament will continue until September 20.

VietNamNet/Dan Tri