Victory run: Nguyen Thi Le Dung celebrates her victory. Dung won Viet Nam's fourth gold medal at the SEA Games. — Photo ngoisao.net

HA NOI (VNS) — Viet Nam's fencers continued their attack at the SEA Games yesterday, claiming two more gold medals in Singapore.

Tran Thi Len and Nguyen Thi Le Dung triumphed in the women's individual foil and sabre events.

Their victories mean Viet Nam maintain second position in the medals table at the Games, which will officially start tonight at the Marina Bay.

Len came from behind to dominate her final match against Raguin Harlene of the Philippines with a win of 15-5 after three sets.

"It is a really meaningful victory to me as it could be my last SEA Games," said Len.

"I am really happy because I have never beaten her (Raguin Harlene) before. I want to give this medal to my little boy at home," Len said with tears in her eyes.

Dung had no difficulty defending her title against Starrat Sirawalai of Thailand.

The five-time champion led 6-3 in the first set, and made it 8-3 in the second, before scoring seven points in the final set.

Viet Nam also won a silver in the men's individual foil through Nguyen Minh Quang.

The 17-year-old was in with a chance of winning after finishing the first set at 6-4, but he was unable to keep up the momentum in the second set against experienced Panchan Nontapat of Thailand, who bagged eight points in a row.

The third set saw 33-year-old Panchan claim three more points to end the game.

In table tennis news, Viet Nam won two bronze medals in the women's singles event.

Nguyen Thi Nga was beaten 8-11, 12-14, 7-11, 4-11 by Malaysian Sock Khim in the first semi-final, and her teammate Mai Hoang My Trang lost 18-16, 12-10, 11-9, 11-13, 5-11, 9-11, 9-11 to Sawettabut Suthasini.

Suthasini went on to beat Malaysia's Ng Sock Khim 4-3 in the final.

Her win marks the first time a non-Singaporean paddler has won the women's singles since 1995.

Sawettabut caught up after losing the first set to defeat Ng 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4.

The Thai player had earlier defeated Singapore's top paddler Feng Tianwei in the group match to break the Republic's 20-year dominance in the event.

Feng's loss ensured that Singapore will not meet their target of sweeping all seven table tennis golds at stake.

Deafening cheers filled the Singapore Indoor Stadium as home favourite Gao Ning salvaged some pride for the hosts by claiming the table tennis men's singles gold medal.

He beat Filipino Richard Gonzales 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3 in the final.

Vietnamese Nguyen Tien Dat failed to defend his second place in this event after being eliminated in the first round.

Dat let his rival Tanviriyavechakul Padasak of Thailand come from behind to win 16-18, 11-4, 11-8, 11-7.

Fencers and table tennis players will have a day off before they continue with the team event tomorrow. — VNS