Swimmer Hoang Quy Phuoc, 16, who won a bronze medal for Vietnam at the Southeast Asian Games 2009, has been sent to China on a special one-year training programme.

With one gold, one silver medal and the breaking of a SEA Games record, Nguyen Huu Viet is the top swimmer of Vietnam at present. However, many experts are saying Phuoc has the potential to match these achievements for Vietnam.

Though Phuoc won only a bronze medal but his performance still caught the eye . Phuoc was only added to the competing list just before the deadline and the young swimmer became one of the youngest sportsmen to earn a medal at SEA Games 25.

Dang Dong Hai, director of the Sports Training Centre of the central city of Da Nang, said only just over two months ago, Phuoc didn’t perform well at the national swimming championship. Da Nang sports officials said they only put him forward for the experience.

Phuoc is still someway behind gold medal winner Daniel Bego from Malaysia, who broke the SEA Games record in this category. However, at the age of 16, Phuoc will have many opportunities to improve his own record.

To further develop this young talent, Da Nang has sent Phuoc to China for a one-year training course until December 2010.

Phuoc’s coach is expert Hoang Quoc Hoi, who trained Vietnam’s top swimmer Nguyen Huu Viet to win a gold medal at the 23^rd SEA Games.

Six years ago, in his first SEA Games, Nguyen Huu Viet only won a bronze medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke. It is hoped that Phuoc will be a record maker and breaker in the future, like Nguyen Huu Viet.

PV