Rowing doubles team, Pham Thi Thao and Ta Thanh Huyen, have qualified for the Rio Olympics after they surpassed the 2016 FISA Asian and Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta in the Republic of Korea (RoK).
Rowing doubles team, Pham Thi Thao and Ta Thanh Huyen, have qualified for the Rio Olympics after they surpassed the 2016 FISA Asian and Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta in the Republic of Korea (RoK).
In the qualifying round of the lightweight women's double sculls of 2,000m, the pair achieved quite good results with a time of 7:12.02.
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| Pham Thi Thao (L) and Ta Thanh Huyen (R) have won two gold medals at the SEA Games 28. (Credit: zing.vn) |
In the final round on April 25, Thao and Huyen competed with athletes from the host country, Hong Kong (China), Kazakhstan, Japan and Iran.
Under the provisions of the organising board, the event has three slots to Rio de Janeiro for three leading pairs; with their outstanding performance the two Vietnamese rowers finished third after 7:7.32, thereby qualifying for the Rio Olympics. The two leading positions went to Japanese Oishi-Tomita with 7:3.19 and the RoK’s Choi Yuri-Yoo Jin Ji at 7:6.89.
To date, Vietnamese rowing has secured two slots at the 2016 Olympics. Earlier, on Sunday, Pham Thi Hue made a big surprise finishing second with a time of 8:0.53 in the 2,000m women’s Single Sculls semi-final round.
This is the first time Vietnam rowing has earned two places at the world biggest sporting event.
For Thao, this is the 2nd consecutive time the 1989-born athlete has qualified for the Olympic Lightweight Women's Double Sculls (previously also in the London 2012 Olympic Games). She has been among key rowers of the Vietnamese female team over the past few years. At the SEA Games 28, Thao and Huyen won two gold medals in the Lightweight Women's Double Sculls 500m and 1,000m.
However, according to the regulations of the International Rowing Federation (FISA), each country is only allowed to select one male and one female representative to go to the Olympics. Therefore, Vietnam could only send one to attend the event despite having two representatives qualifying (as the men’s side failed to reach the qualification). The decision to select Hue or duo Thao-Huyen to attend the Olympic Games will be made by Vietnamese sports management authorities.
Currently, Vietnam has secured 15 slots at the Olympic Games. In addition to one ticket secured via rowing, the other disciplines include gymnastics (Pham Phuoc Hung and Phan Thi Ha Thanh), fencing (Vu Thanh An, Nguyen Thi Le Dung, and Nguyen Thi Nhu Hoa), swimming (Nguyen Thi Anh Vien), wrestling (Vu Thi Hang and Nguyen Thi Lua), athletics (Nguyen Thanh Ngung), shooting (Tran Quoc Cuong and Hoang Xuan Vinh) and three tickets for the men’s weightlifting.
(Source:Nhan Dan)
