Four Vietnamese athletes, Nguyen Thi Ngoc, Quach Thi Lan, Hoang Thi Minh Hanh, and Nguyen Thi Hang, won the gold medal in the women’s 4x400m relay team competition with a time of 3:30.82 at the 2024 Asian Relay Championship in Thailand on Tuesday.

The female team’s achievement surpassed the Vietnamese national record of 3:31.46 set in Singapore in 2015, demonstrating their remarkable prowess despite challenging conditions caused by heavy rain. 

Hoang Thi Ngoc, leading off, surged ahead with a powerful sprint, establishing an early lead. 

She quickly opened up a gap of up to 15 meters from the nearest competitor, maintaining it until she handed the baton to 2019 Asian 400m hurdles champion Quach Thi Lan.

Lan, who secured a bronze in the mixed 4x400m on Monday, exhibited a strong performance, widening the gap to 20 meters.

Hoang Thi Minh Hanh took over as the third runner, executing her leg flawlessly. 

She further extended the lead to provide her teammate Nguyen Thi Hang with a comfortable position for the final stretch.

Hang, celebrated as the Vietnamese relay running queen for her numerous local and international titles, brought the race to a perfect finish for Vietnam, clocking in at 3:30.82.

India came second at 3:33.55, followed by Japan at 3:35.45.

This marks the third victory for the Vietnamese women’s 4x400m relay team in the Asian Relay Championship. 

Their first win occurred in 2017 with athletes Nguyen Thi Oanh, Quach Thi Lan, Hoang Thi Ngoc, and Nguyen Thi Huyen achieving a time of 3:33.22.

The second triumph took place in 2023 with the running team of Nguyen Thi Ngoc, Hoang Thi Minh Hanh, Nguyen Thi Huyen, and Nguyen Thi Hang achieving a time of 3:32.36.

Despite the gold medal, Tuesday’s performance fell short of securing Vietnam’s women’s 4x400m relay team a spot in the top 16 for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

However, there is still hope for the Vietnamese athletes. 

Following the 2024 Asian Relay Championship, they are set to compete in two additional tournaments held in Taiwan and Thailand in June, both of which are Olympic qualifiers.

Earlier at the 2024 Asian Relay Championship, the Vietnamese team clinched three bronze medals. 

Ha Thi Thu, Le Thi Cam Tu, Kha Thanh Truc, and Phung Thi Hue claimed a bronze medal in the women’s 4x100m on Tuesday afternoon, clocking in at 45:17.

Later, Tran Nhat Hoang, Tran Dinh Son, Nguyen Tung Lam, and Le Ngoc Phuc secured third place in the men’s 4x400m race, competing against formidable opponents from India, Sri Lanka, and Qatar.

Clocking in at 3:07.37, their time set a new national record, surpassing the previous record of 3:07.40 established at the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia seven years ago.

On Monday, the Vietnamese mixed 4x400m relay team, comprised of Nguyen Xuan Quang, Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Le Ngoc Phuc, and Quach Thi Lan, also bagged a bronze medal with a time of 3:18.45, breaking the national record of 3:19.50 set in the Philippines five years ago.

After two days of competition, Vietnam came home with one gold medal and three bronzes.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!