Mixed 4x400m relay brings Vietnam historic Asian Games bronze

The bronze was decided after a race in which Vietnam held a significant lead at one point. Ta Ngoc Tuong, Quach Thi Lan and Le Ngoc Phuc successively put Vietnam in front before Nguyen Thi Ngoc took the baton for the final leg.

Ngoc maintained the lead through the first 200 metres. Over the final 200 metres, however, runners from Bahrain and India accelerated and moved ahead. Ngoc stayed close to India’s runner until the finish but could not regain second place. Vietnam crossed the line third in 3:14.54, just 0.08 seconds behind India.

Bahrain won gold in 3:12.87, setting a new Asian Games record, while India took silver in 3:14.46.

The bronze was particularly significant given the fierce competition Vietnam faced from the qualifying round. The quartet of Ta Ngoc Tuong, Nguyen Thi Hang, Le Ngoc Phuc and Nguyen Thi Ngoc completed their heat in 3:16.08, finishing second in the heat and fourth overall after the results from both heats were combined, securing a place in the final.

Hang ran in place of Lan in the qualifying round. For the final, Lan was brought into the lineup alongside Tuong, Phuc and Ngoc to form Vietnam’s medal-contending quartet.

In the final, Tuong kept Vietnam among the leading teams on the opening leg. Lan then produced a strong surge to move Vietnam into second place, before Phuc delivered another powerful effort on the third leg to take the team into the lead. Vietnam held that advantage until Ngoc took over for the final leg.

The mixed 4x400m relay bronze is Vietnamese athletics’ first medal at the 20th Asian Games. The result capped a memorable day for the national athletics team on September 24.

ASIAD 20: Vietnam esports makes history with first Asian Games medal

VOV.VN - Vietnam’s NARAKA: Bladepoint team won a bronze medal at ASIAD 20 in Japan on September 24, giving Vietnamese esports its first-ever medal at the Asian Games.