Nguyen Thi Anh Vien won three gold medals on the third day of competition at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Swimming Championships in Singapore yesterday. — Photo phunuonline.com.vn

HA NOI (VNS) — Vietnamese champion female swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien won three gold medals on the third day of competition at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Swimming Championships in Singapore yesterday.

Vien defeated two Singapore rivals Nur Marina and Lim Meagan to finish first, with a time of 1:00.69 in the women's 100-metre butterfly round, which is not Vien's strong point.

The Can Tho-born player continued to defend her titles in the 50 backstroke and 400-metre medley.

In the 50 backstroke discipline, Vien finished with a time of 29.51 seconds, beating her old record of 29.89 seconds made at the same event in Singapore two years ago.

Vien also came first in the 400-metre medley with a time of 4:49.03, breaking her old record of 4:50.27.

On the men's side, Singapore's Lim Feng defeated defending champion Triadi Fauzi of Indonesia to grab the gold medal in the 50-metre freestyle.

Lan Nattupong Ketin of Thailand took gold in the 200-metre breast-stroke discipline.

Another Vietnamese representative at this event, Hoang Quy Phuoc, snatched a silver medal in the 400-metre freestyle with a time of 3:57.09, just behind gold medallist Danny Yeo Kai Quan of Singapore who finished with a time of 3:57.06.

Earlier, Phuoc came in first in the men's 200-metre freestyle, while Vien topped the women's 400-metre freestyle.

At the 2012 event in Singapore, Vien garnered five gold medals in the 50-metre, 100-metre and 200-metre backstroke and the 100-metre and 200-metre medley. Phuoc scored one silver medal in the 100-metre freestyle.

After three days of competition, Singapore temporarily took the lead with seven golds, nine silvers and five bronzes. Thailand came in second with five golds, five silvers and five bronzes, while Viet Nam was in third place with five golds, three silvers and one bronze.

This biennial event, which brings the region's aquatic community together in spirited competition during a non-SEA Games year, will last until next Tuesday. — VNS