Atkinson wins third title, Việt Nam dominate athletics

Joshua Atkinson won his third title at the SEA Games 31. VNA/VNS Photo Quang Hà

Thanh Hà

Thailand’s Joshua Atkinson completed a SEA Games hattrick of titles, while Vietnamese athletes succeeded in four events on May 16 in Hà Nội.

The Thai runner finished the 800m race with a time of 1min 55.750sec, leaving all other runners far behind.

Atkinson beat Jirayu Pleenaram of Thailand and Trần Văn Đảng of Việt Nam to top the podium at the Mỹ Đình Stadium in Hà Nội.

Atkinson, earlier, triumphed in the 400m individual and 4x400m mixed relay events.

The Australia-born athlete registered as a Thai to compete in the regional biennial sports meet.

However, Atkinson’s victory did not overshadow Việt Nam’s victories as the host won several titles.

Vũ Thị Ngọc Hà secured her first Games title in the women’s long jump with a score of 6.39m, beating former Asian champion Bùi Thị Thu Thảo, another Vietnamese, by only 1cm. 

She also left behind reigning champion Maria Natalia Londa of Indonesia who jumped only 6.18m.

Another duo from Việt Nam with medals were national champion Lê Tiến Long and his senior teammate Đỗ Quốc Luật who came first and second in the men’s 3000m steeplechase, respectively.

Lê Tiến Long of Việt Nam seen in action in fhe men’s 3000m steeplechase event. VNA/VNS Photo Quốc Khánh

Long, who has been a national phenomenon in recent years, replaced reigning champion Luật, in top place, finishing with a time of 9:02.84. Atjong Purwanto Tio of Indonesia came third.

Khuất Phương Anh of Việt Nam also took her first title of the Games after several previous failures. Anh took the top position after clocking 2mins 8.76 seconds in the 800m.

She was followed by Agustina Manik Mardika of Indonesia and Savinder Kaur Jogindr Singh from Malaysia.

Defending champion Đinh Thị Bích of Việt Nam also took part in the event but fell near the finish line and could not protect her position. Bích was sent to hospital for further tests.

“I am happy with my victory. I finally have my own title, and complete a promise to my coach. It is an eight-year promise to win at the SEA Games, and I made it,” Anh said.

“I am also sorry about Bích’s injury and hope that it will not very serious and she will be back soon.”

In the women’s 100m hurdles, Bùi Thị Nguyên became the new queen when she kicked Indonesian Emilia Nova out of top place.

The soldier set her personal best of 13.51sec while Nova ran slower than three years ago when she won gold.

Jelly Dianne Paragile Casalme of the the Philippines came third.

In other events, Filipino Clinton Kingsley Bautista won the men’s 110m hurdles. Nor Sarah Adi Binti of Malaysia topped the women’s pole vault and Subenrat Insaeng from Thailand championed the women’s discus.

The Thais also defended their women’s and men’s 4x100m relays.