Huệ rows to Paris Olympics’ quarter-finals

Rower Phạm Thị Huệ bags a place in the Paris 2024’s women’s single sculls event. She will next compete on July 30. Photo Việt Nam Sports Team

PARIS — Phạm Thị Huệ successfully earnt a place in the quarter-finals of the women’s rowing single sculls event of the Paris Olympics.

Competing in the 2,000m repechage on July 28, Huệ is in the first group against four rivals from Nicaragua, Cuba, the Philippines and Togo.

Huệ finished her race in a time of 8 minutes 0.97sec, placed second below Filipino Joanie Delgado (7:55.00). The two top athletes advance to the next round which will be held on July 30.

In shooting, Trịnh Thu Vinh finishes fourth in the women’s 10m air pistol event.

Vinh scores 198.6 points after 20 shots, 23.1 points short of the top three positions.

The gold goes to Oh ye-jin of South Korea (243.2 points, a new Olympic record). Her country fellow Kim Ye-ji takes silver (241.3 points) and Bhaker Manu of Indian bags bronze (221.7 points).

Earlier, Lê Thị Mộng Tuyền sadly did not surprise in the women’s 10m air rifle event.

She scored 621.1 points after six 10-shot series and sits at number forty among 43 competitors at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

In other sports, swimmers Nguyễn Huy Hoàng and Võ Thị Mỹ Tiên are training at the pools to make themselves familiar with the venue ahead of their upcoming competitions.

Võ Thị Mỹ Tiên poses with the Paris Olympics mascot. Photo of Mỹ Tiên

While Tiên flew with the majority of the Việt Nam delegation to France on July 23, Hoàng joined her after finishing his training course in Hungary.

In Paris, Hoàng, who is competing in an Olympics for a second time, will compete in the men’s 800m freestyle on July 29 and 1500m freestyle on August 3.

Tiên will enjoy her first Games with her 200m individual medley scheduled on August 2.

Both of them want to set new personal bests.

According to the coaching board, the athletes are in good condition and feel comfortable ahead of their competitions.

In cycling, former Asian champion Nguyễn Thị Thật is researching the racing route and practising hard for the women’s road race event which will be held on August 4.

Nguyễn Thị Thật is in Paris for her first Olympic competition. VNS Photo Ngọc Nguyễn

Coach Huỳnh Văn Chánh said he and his athlete had to find a suitable road to practise on with exercises adjusted every day to help Thật maintain her fitness and prepare mentally for the race.

They are not only building tactics for the 158km race but also making up different scenarios depending on the weather for the race day to ensure safety while cycling.

In her Olympic debut, Thật, will be against more than 90 rivals, the world best racers, from 57 countries and regions.

Thật, Việt Nam’s flag bearer, is one of three from ASEAN area. Two others are from Malaysia and Thailand. VNS