Beaming: Vietnamese gymnast Phan Thi Ha Thanh performs in the women's beam event at the Incheon Asian Games. Thanh won a silver, her second medal at the South Korea competition. — VNS Photo Huu Quy

HA NOI (VNS) — Gymnast Phan Thi Ha Thanh of Viet Nam won her second medal, a silver, in the women's beam event at the 17th Asian Games (ASIAD) in Incheon, South Korea yesterday.

Thanh, 22, scored 14.433 points, or just 0.267 points less than the Kim Unhyang of North Korea, who won the gold medal. Shang Chunsong of China placed third with a score of 14.300.

The gymnast earned her first medal, a bronze, in the vault event last Wednesday. Thanh took part in the floor exercise event but failed to make it to the top three. The Chinese pair of Shang and Yao Jinnan ranked first and second, respectively, while Yun Narae of South Korea ranked third.

Viet Nam have so far won one gold, five silver and 16 bronze medals. China leads with 78 gold medals while Japan is in a tie with South Korea with 28 gold medals, but managed to earn 35 silver medals against the host country's 33.

Meanwhile, Dinh Phuong Thanh added another bronze medal to the haul of the Vietnamese gymnastic team by scoring 15.416 points in the men's parallel event. Kamoto Yuya of Japan won the gold medal with a score of 15.800 and Fokin Anton of Uzbekistan won the silver with a score of 15.475.

Earlier yesterday morning, Viet Nam won two bronze medals in shooting and rowing. Marksman Ha Minh Thanh took the bronze in the men's 25-meter standard pistol event by scoring 571 points, which was lower than the 577 points of eventual gold medalist Ding Feng of China and the 574 points of silver medalist Kim Jun-hong of South Korea.

"I have never shot as many points in international competitions as in this ASIAD," said Thanh. "It is only a bronze, but I am really happy with my result."

In rowing, Pham Thi Hai, Pham Thi Thao, Pham Thi Hue and Le Thi An took the bronze in the wome''s Quadruple Sculls Final A. China topped the event, followed by South Korea.

In badminton, Nguyen Tien Minh, the world's 23rd best player, beat Ponsana Boonsak of Thailand, 21-10, 21-15, in the first round of the men's singles. He will take on Mustofa Ihsan Maulana of Indonesia today.

Minh is the last Vietnamese standing in this sport as his teammate, Pham Cao Cuong, earlier lost in his second round match to Kidambi Srikanth Nammalwar of India, 21-23, 8-21. The tandem of Le Thu Huyen and Do Tuan Duc likewise lost to the tandem of Prapakamol Sudket and Thoungthongkam Saralee of Thailand in the mixed doubles event, 12-21, 13-21.

In sepak takraw, or rattan ball kicking, Viet Nam defeated China, 3-0, in the team category. They are second in Group A and will play tomorrow against powerhouse Thailand, who topped Group B in the semi-finals. — VNS