Kicker: Vo Thanh Tung's teammate Nguyen Thanh Trung swims to a gold medal in the men's 200m medley SM5 category at the ASIAN Para Games in Incheon, South Korea. — Photo baotintuc.vn

HA NOI (VNS) — Vietnamese swimmer Vo Thanh Tung won his fifth straight gold medal in the ongoing Para Games in Incheon, South Korea yesterday, putting him in the running for the best athlete award.

Tung beat Malaysia's Jamery Anak Siga with a time of 39.45 seconds in the men's 50m butterfly "S5" category.

The 29-year-old swimmer won all five events in which he competed, becoming a candidate for the Para Games' best athlete award.

"I truly admire Tung's will and effort in this Games," said Vu The Phiet, general secretary of the Viet Nam Paralympic Association and head of the team.

"Before starting the competition, I only hoped that Tung could win two or three gold medals. His performance exceeded our expectations."

Earlier, Tung bagged medals in the men's 50m freestyle with a time of 35.40 seconds, in the 100m freestyle with 1:21.94, in the 50m backstroke with 42.62 seconds and 200m freestyle event with 3:2.24.

"Now we can look toward the upcoming Paralympic event," said coach Dong Quoc Cuong. "The road ahead is difficult. In his training, Tung needs to focus on one or two key disciplines to prepare for the Paralympics."

Tung's teammate, Nguyen Thanh Trung, performed well in the men's 200m medley "SM5" category yesterday, bringing home another gold medal.

Trung, who won a gold medal in the men's 100m breast-stroke, was ahead the whole race and finished with a time of 3:48.63.

Viet Nam also won a bronze medal in the women's shot-putting event thanks to Ha Thi Hue with her result of 7m35.

So far, Viet Nam has won nine gold, six silver and nine bronze medals to rank tenth out of 41 nations and territories. — VNS