Van Cong’s success marks the first medal won by the Vietnamese delegation at the global sporting event.

The 37-year-old athlete from Ha Tinh province successfully lifted a total of 173 kg after three attempts. His rival Omar Qarada of Jordan also managed to reach 173 kg in order to match Cong’s mark.

Due to both athletes recording the same number of points, the organising board were forced to go to a tie-breaker in order to decide the ultimate winner.

According to the rule, in the event that two or more weightlifters successfully lift a combined total of the same weight in their two events, then the lighter athlete with lesser bodyweight will be declared the winner.

Van Cong weighs a total of 47.31 kg, while his opponent Omar Qarada weighs 47.21 kg, meaning the Jordanian athlete was named as the winner.

Previously, Van Cong became the first-ever Vietnamese athlete to win a Paralympic gold medal, setting a world record by lifting 183 kg in 2016.

Unlike Van Cong, Vietnamese athletes Trinh Thi Bich Nhu and Vu Thanh Tung failed to progress to the final round of their respective swimming events after finishing in the bottom half of the rankings.