Vietnamese runners win Asian relay title

The team finished first in a time of 3min 30.81sec to top the continental podium.

Their time was a new national record that beat the old one of 3:31.64 set nine years ago in 2015.

India took silver with a time of 3:33.55 while Japan earned bronze on 3:35.45.

"It is our good result," said Quach Thi Lan who earned bronze in the mixed 4x400m event on May 20. "We have tried our best to improve our time and we make it."

Nguyen Thi Hang who ran the anchor leg said all members ran the fastest, and the gold was remarkable. They would work harder for better in the future.

"We have practiced well for the championship and we have shortened our time. It is a motivation for all of us," said coach Nguyen Thi Bac.

"Running faster just one second is never an easy job but we will work to make this task done."

It was not the first time the Vietnamese relay runners were on top of Asia.

Last year, they successfully bagged the title of the Asian Athletics Championships which was also held in Thailand.

Although they won gold on May 21, the Vietnamese team did not qualify for the Paris Olympics. Their time was not enough to push them to the world top 16 teams which would run in the upcoming Games this July.

Viet Nam will have to beat the current world No 16 Nigeria which runs 3:27.29.

Next month the team will compete in open tournaments in Chinese Taipei and Thailand, their last chances to seek an Olympic spot.

"We will adjust plan for them for the next races," said Nguyen Manh Hung, general secretary of the Viet Nam Athletics Federation. "We still look forward to the best result of the women's 4x400m team."

On May 31, Vietnamese runners also took two bronzes in other races.

Quartet Tran Nhat Hoang, Tran Dinh Son, Nguyen Tung Lam and Le Ngoc Phuc came third in the men's 4x400m, setting a new national record of 3:07.37.

The old one, 3:07.40, was made at the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, seven years ago.

The winning team was Sri Lanka which ran 3:04.48. India finished second on 3:05.76.

Earlier, Vietnamese Ha Thi Thu, Le Thi Cam Tu, Kha Thanh Truc and Phung Thi Hue were third in the women's 4x100m event in a time of 45.17sec under a heavy rain.

They stood below China (44.16) and Thailand (44.88).

After two days of competitions, Viet Nam placed No 4 in the medal tally with one gold and three bronzes and three national records.

China took the top position with two golds, followed by India which had one gold and two silvers and Sri Lanka with one gold and one silver./.