Vietnam wins its first gold medal at the 28th SEA Games.

Fencing athlete Nguyen Tien Nhat won 15-8 in the final match against Lim Wei Wen of host country Singapore on the afternoon of June 3rd.

After two sets, Tien Nhat won with scores of 6-3 and 9-5 respectively.

Tien Nhat (right) wins his first SEA Games gold medal. Photo: Lam Thoa.

“I am extremely happy to be the first athlete to win a gold medal for the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 28th SEA Games. It's even more wonderful that this is also the first gold medal of my career at the Southeast Asian Games. This victory is a reward for my efforts over the past long period, especially the more than two months of training in South Korea,” Vu Tien Nhat shared with VnExpress.

“In both the semi-finals and the final, I faced athletes from Singapore. They had the advantage of being the home team and the support of a large number of fans. At first, I was a little nervous, but then it all passed quickly. I've competed internationally many times, so I'm used to the pressure.”

The awards ceremony will take place at 7:30 PM, Hanoi time.

Tien Nhat (right) completely dominated his opponent. Photo: Lam Thoa.

Nguyen Tien Nhat (foil) and Vu Thanh An (sabre) respectively brought home two gold medals for the Vietnamese sports delegation on the afternoon of June 3rd, after overwhelmingly defeating the host country Singapore's athletes in the finals.

After two rounds, Tien Nhat defeated Lim Wei Wen with a final score of 15-8.

Tien Nhat (right) wins his first SEA Games gold medal. Photo: Lam Thoa.

“I am extremely happy to be the first athlete to win a gold medal for the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 28th SEA Games. It's even more wonderful that this is also the first gold medal of my career at the Southeast Asian Games. This victory is a reward for my efforts over the past long period, especially the more than two months of training in South Korea,” Vu Tien Nhat shared with VnExpress.

“In both the semi-finals and the final, I faced athletes from Singapore. They had the advantage of being the home team, as well as the support of a large number of fans. At first, I was a little nervous, but then it all passed very quickly. I've competed internationally many times, so I'm used to the pressure.”

Tien Nhat (right) completely dominated his opponent. Photo: Lam Thoa.

Facing the home team, the athlete born in 1990 did not choose a cautious approach, but instead launched a barrage of attacks. Explaining this risky strategy, he said: “It’s not because I’m afraid the referee will favor the home team that I have to attack aggressively to win overwhelmingly. That’s my fighting style. I attack relentlessly against any opponent; there’s nothing to be afraid of. Once I step into the competition, I don’t know what fear is anymore.”

Tien Nhat was the first Vietnamese fencer to qualify for the Olympics (in 2012, in England), and he won a bronze medal in the foil event at the 2014 Asian Games. Since 2010, he has dominated Southeast Asian fencing in this discipline.

However, prior to the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, Tien Nhat had not made a real mark at the SEA Games. In 2009, the athlete from Ho Chi Minh City was part of the team that won a bronze medal in the team event, before winning a silver medal in the individual event in 2011.

A few dozen minutes later, Vu Thanh An also won the final in the sabre event. The fencer, born in 1992, defeated Choy Yu Yong with a final score of 15-11.

Thanh An celebrated with members of the coaching staff...

...before going up to the podium to receive the medal. Photo: Lam Thoa.

According to VNE