>> Vietnam wins first medal at World Gymnastics Champs

Artistic gymnast Phan Thi Ha Thanh’s bronze in the pommel horse event at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo on October 15 marked a major step forward for Vietnamese sport.

Ha Thanh (first from right) receiving her bronze medal

The 20 year-old girl became the first Vietnamese contestant to win a medal despite the country having made the finals for a second time.

The Vietnam Olympic Committee hailed her achievement and NBC’s Universal Sports Blythe Lawrence wrote a website diary piece in which he stated, “The newcomer from Vietnam stunned, when she upset defending World bronze medallist Jade Barbosa for third on vault. What a heart-warming moment when small gymnastics country does well.”

Head of the Vietnamese team Mrs Kim Lan said, “This is an official qualifier for the Olympic Games. Vietnam has learned a lot from the experience, which will go towards our performance at SEA Games. Qualifying was our dream; we didn’t dare imagine we’d win a medal.”

Ha Thanh’s 14-year efforts have paid dividends. Sports website ESPN reported, “Phan Thi Ha Thanh was a complete unknown as she ran down the runway to do her first vault in the women\'s qualification round. Four successful vaults and one world bronze medal later, she\'s still a complete unknown, but one thing is certain - she can perform on the vault.”

The tournament featured athletes from 80 countries who competed in 18 different events, and included athletes from gymnastic powerhouses such as Russia, the US, China, Japan, Romania, the UK and Brazil. Ha Thanh gained a total 14,666 points, just behind Germany’s Chusovitina with 14,733 points the US’ McKayla Maroney who took gold with 15,300 points.

Ha Thanh’s medal indicates positive hopes for the future. She is expected to win another medal at the SEA Games 26 scheduled to take place in Indonesia in November this year and at the London Olympics in 2012.

Speaking with DTiNews, Thanh said, “I didn’t feel any pressure about taking a medal at the competition. I just tried my best and received great support from the Vietnamese team.”

Ha Thanh, born 1991 in the northern port city of Haiphong started learning artistic gymnastics when she was seven years old. She won gold medal at the SEA Games 2003 held in Vietnam. At the SEA Games 2005 in the Philippines, Thanh took silver along with other members of the team and two bronzes in the individual asymmetrical bar and pommel horse events. At the SEA Games 2007 in Thailand, she won gold in the pommel horse.

Ha Thanh and the medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo