Nguyen Tien Nhat (right) competes with a Thai rival in Pool 1's qualifying round in the men's individual epee event at the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Singapore this morning (June 3). — Photo vov.vn

HA NOI (VNS) — Vietnamese fencer Nguyen Tien Nhat entered the quarter-finals of the men's individual epee event at the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Singapore this morning (June 3).

He won all five matches in Pool 1's qualifying round.

Nhat defeated rivals from Thailand, Laos, the Philippines and Cambodia, as well as Malaysia to take the lead.

Nhat, 25, was the first Vietnamese fencer to win an Asian Games medal, after claiming the bronze medal in the men's individual epee at the 2014 Games in Incheon, South Korea.

The other Vietnamese player in this category, Nguyen Phuoc Den, won four matches to rank second among six players. He will meet Htet Zaw of Myanmar in the next round this afternoon.

Head of HCM City's fencing section Nguyen Thi Kim Nga said if Nhat and Den beat their rivals from Singapore, they could win medals in this division.

Fencing is one of the sports that have got off the block early at the SEA Games. With their careful preparation, Viet Nam hope to win four to five gold medals.

Viet Nam has sent 24 fencers to compete for 12 medal sets in the men's and women's individual and team sabre, foil and epee events in Singapore. — VNS