Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Vietnam wins first gold medal at 25th SEA Games

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Vietnam wins first gold medal at 25th SEA Games | Look At Vietnam

Taekwondo artists brought Vietnam’s first gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games 2009 this morning, December 9.

The three Taekwondo artists who won the first gold medal for Vietnam on Dec. 9.

The maleteam, including Le Trung Anh, Nguyen Dinh Toan and Vu Thanh Duong, earned 8.73 points in the first performance and 8.20 points for the second, totaling 16.93 points to win gold. The Laos and Filipino teams ranked second and third.

On the first day of competition, the Vietnamese Taekwondo participates in three out of the five categories of events. The men’s team will take part in the morning with the women’s team and mixed doubles in the afternoon.

This is the first time Taekwondo has been added to the SEA Games. Taekwondo is seen to be a strength of Vietnam. Earlier this month the country ranked second at the World Taekwondo Championship 2009 (2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals) in Egypt.

The sparring category will take place on December 10. Vietnam will join the sparring competition with Dinh Quang Toan (men’s over 78kg), Nguyen Trong Cuong (men’s under 84kg), Luong Minh Dat (men’s 80kg), Ha Thi Nguyen (women’s under 73kg) and Nguyen Thi Duong (women’s under 67kg).

Vietnam aims to win 4-5 gold medals from Taekwondo this SEA Games.

Besides this gold medal, Vietnam also scored a silver medal in women’s sepak takraw this morning.

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.