LookAtVietnam – Viet Nam won 13 golds yesterday, December 15, at the SEA Games in Vientiane.

Xuan, who earlier announced that the Laos Games would be his last international event, plans to become a coach.

Xuan defeated Michael Baletin of the Philippines and Dorn Saov from Cambodia, in a round-robin format to take the title.

The 33-year-old wrestler, whose speciality is freestyle, won the Gecko-Roman title in Thailand two years ago.

His teammate in the Greco-Roman class, Ta Ngoc Tan, also succeeded in winning a gold in the men’s 60kg class. Tan, 24, defeated three rivals from Indonesia, Thailand and powerhouses the Philippines to take the title.

Viet Nam’s Ho Quang Hai took the silver in the 55kg Greco-Roman category after losing to Filipino Margarito Angana in the men’s

Also yesterday, Viet Nam’s Nguyen Thanh Tai won a judo title after a perfect performance in the men’s kata event. Tai scored 460 points to take top place on the podium, defeating athletes from Thailand (450 points) and Laos (442 points).

On the women’s side, Nguyen Lan Linh, despite a great effort, failed to defeat B. Chuthathip of Thailand. Chuthathip scored 469, four more than Linh.

Later, teammate Huynh Nhat Thong brought home a second gold in the kumite (combat) event. Thong, the Southeast Asia champion, defeated host athlete Chittakone Sivanvilay in the men’s under-55kg class final.

Meanwhile, in the shuttlecock event, which kicked off yesterday at the Beung Kha Ngong Centre, Asian Indoor Games champion Trinh Thi Nga won the women’s singles title. Earlier, women’s duo Le Thi Be Sau and Cao Hai Yen pocketed the team’s first gold.

There was some disappointment in Muay Thai.

Asian Indoor Games gold medallist Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat had to settle for a silver medal at the Beung Kha Ngong Sport Centre after losing to Teerawat Wannale of Thailand in the men’s feather-weight final.

A second silver went to Phan Thi Ngoc Linh, who lost to Wanlaya Pongta of Thailand in the women’s bantam-weight final. Tran Thi Huong also had to settle for a silver medal after losing to Laos’ Paylor in the women’s feather-weight event.

A fourth silver went to Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung in the women’s light-fly weight division. Dung was defeated by Phouthasone of Laos in the final.

Meanwhile, in-form badminton player Nguyen Hoang Hai needed just 29 minutes to beat Phakornkham 2-0 (21-17, 21-19) in the quarter-finals, at the National Sports Complex.

But his teammate, Viet Nam’s world No 11 and medal hope, Nguyen Tien Minh suffered a shock defeat at the hands of unrated Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand in the other quarter-final match.

In the men’s volleyball, Viet Nam failed to defend the silver medal they won at the last SEA Games after losing 1-3 to Thailand in the semi-finals.

Today, the Vietnamese women’s volleyball team will face Thailand in the final.

The sepak takraw also disappointed eager fans.

The women’s team was defeated 21-19, 8-21, 9-15 by Thailand in the final regu (playing 3-on-3) event. Earlier they lost to Myanmar in the hoop event and Thailand in the team event.

Viet Nam’s sepak takraw men’s team is not expected to win a gold as they are considered far inferior to their Thai rivals.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News