Ly wins muaythai gold at AIMAG
Bui Yen Ly secured the only gold medal of muaythai for Vietnam at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) September 21 in Turkmenistan.
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The World Games’ reigning champion defeated Iranian Yavari Fatemech 30-27 in the women’s 51kg category at the Muaythai Kickboxing Arena on the last day of the event.
Ly got a bye in the first round. She then beat Tarapen Carissa from the Philippines in the quarter-finals and Gwa Weiying Cheryl of Singapore in the last-four round, all with a result of 30-27.
Coach Giap Trung Thang said Ly was a smart and strong fighter who was always hungry for victory.
She always has 100% focus in every game and is flexible in switching her tactics to face different situations. She is good at attack and perfect at defence.
Ly is a Hanoi athlete. She first rose to prominence on winning a gold medal at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.
The 22-year-old then won the Asian Beach Games in 2016 and the World Games in Poland some months ago.
In a later final, Vietnamese Truong Thi Hong Nga snatched a silver medal in the women’s 63.5kg category, losing to Wankrue Janejira of Thailand.
Earlier, Vietnam’s greatest hope, Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, the seven-time world champion, unexpectedly lost in the men’s 61kg quarter-finals on September 20.
Currently, Vietnam have scored five golds and are placed seventh. Four other golds went to athletes in track-and-field, weightlifting and kurash.
Turkmenistan, Iran and Thailand have secured the top three positions, respectively.
