Vietnam’s Vu Thi Huong clocked 23.31 in the women’s 200 meter race

Indonesia and Vietnam each completed a Southeast Asian Games sprint double as Vietnam dramatically pulled level with pacesetters Thailand at the top of the medals table Wednesday.

On the track, Indonesia’s Suryo Agung Wibowo won the men’s 200 meters in 20.85 seconds and Vietnam’s Vu Thi Huong clocked 23.31 in the women’s race. Both had taken gold in Sunday’s 100m races at the National Stadium in the Laos capital.

“Thanks to Allah for giving me a surprise today because my preparations were to focus on the 100m,” said Wibowo.

“I hope Allah gives me a third gold tomorrow in the (4×100m) relay,” he added, saying he was disappointed that he did not beat his personal best of 20.76.

He said he was unsure whether he would be competing in next year’s Asian Games in China as he was planning to go to the annual Muslim hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Vu Thi Huong said she had enjoyed running in the cooler conditions in Vientiane and on a new track.

“The weather is good for a quick race. It’s not so hot as when I am training in Vietnam and the track is new so that helped me go fast but I regret not breaking my SEA Games record as there was no one to push me.”

Thailand’s Jamras Rittidet won the 110 meters hurdles in 13.89, shaving 0.02 seconds off the SEA Games record.

“It was my first time in the SEA Games and I’m very happy with the result,” he said, adding that he would now focus on the Asian Games.

Indonesia’s Dedeh Erawati took the women’s 100m hurdles and compatriot Agus Prayogo took the men’s 10,000 metres.

Thailand’s Kreeta Sintawacheewa took gold in the men’s pole vault, setting a SEA Games record of 5.21 metres, while the Philippines’ Marestella Torres was women’s long jump champion, with a new record leap of 6.68m

Singapore’s Wong Tuck Yim won the men’s discus.

Boxing powerhouse the Philippines won three golds out of five in the women’s competition to boost their overall tally to 29.

In the women’s football final Vietnam beat Thailand on penalties after the game finished 0-0.

Athletes from 11 nations are competing at the 10-day SEA Games, which are held every two years in sports ranging from athletics and swimming to sepak takraw and wushu. They close on Friday.

Source: AFP