Vietnam at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
Vietnam
competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
. It is the 13th summer games in which the nation has competed since its first appearance in 1952
. Although it has sent a modest delegation every year it has competed, Vietnam had only earned one Olympic medal before Beijing (in 2000
). The Vietnam Olympic Committee sent thirteen athletes to compete in eight of the 28 Olympic sports. It is the largest ever contingent for the nation, up from 11 in the 2004 games
.
Two athletes represented Vietnam in Beijing.
Men
Women
Vietnam sent two athletes to compete in two of the five badminton events. Nguyễn Tiến Minh entered ranked 24th in the world, while Lê Ngọc Nguyên Nhung was ranked 72nd.
Men
Women
Đỗ Thị Ngân Thương
represented Vietnam in artistic gymnastics
, becoming the first Vietnamese gymnast to be selected for Olympic competition. Although she did not qualify
individually, she received a wild card
invitation from the International Olympic Committee
. She competed in the qualification stage, where her 52.1 final score placed her in 59th overall, missing the event and all-around competition finals. On the 15 August Thuong failed a drugs test for furosemide
and her result was disqualified. IOC professor Arne Ljungqvist
suggested Thuong's drug use was due to "poor information of the athlete", rather than a deliberate attempt to violate the rules.
Women
One athlete qualified to compete in two shooting events. Nguyễn Mạnh Tường failed to advance in either the 10 metre or 50 metre pistol events.
Men
One athlete qualified to compete in swimming at the Games, finishing 58th and failing to advance.
One athlete competed for Vietnam in the men's table tennis singles tournament. Đoàn Kiến Quốc won his first two matches, but lost in the second round to a Russian opponent.
Vietnam sent three athletes to compete in three taekwondo events at the Games. The team had an overall record of 1-3, with only Trần Thị Ngọc Trúc managing to win a match. Trần qualified for the repechage after her second round opponent made the final, but could not advance to a bronze medal match.
Men
Women
Two athletes competed in two weightlifting events at the games. Hoàng Anh Tuấn was ranked fifth in the world in his category and was called Vietnam's best chance at a medal in the Games.This turned out to be an accurate assessment, as he lifted 130 kilograms in the snatch
leaving him tied in lift weight for 2nd, but losing a tie on body weight. In the clean and jerk
, Hoàng made his first lift at 155 kilos, but missed his second attempt at 160 and fell back to 4th. However, on his final lift he was successful at 160 kilograms, while his opponents in the battle for the silver medal all missed at that weight or selected a lower weight to attempt, moving him into second place by two kilograms. This was just the second Olympic medal in Vietnamese history, and the first in weightlifting.
Men
Women
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. It is the 13th summer games in which the nation has competed since its first appearance in 1952
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
. Although it has sent a modest delegation every year it has competed, Vietnam had only earned one Olympic medal before Beijing (in 2000
Vietnam at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Vietnam competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The Vietnam Sports Contingent participated in Sydney with fifteen members including in four sports: athletics, swimming, shooting and taekwondo...
). The Vietnam Olympic Committee sent thirteen athletes to compete in eight of the 28 Olympic sports. It is the largest ever contingent for the nation, up from 11 in the 2004 games
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
Medalists
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoàng Anh Tuấn Hoang Anh Tuan Hoang Anh Tuan is a Vietnamese weightlifter.At the 2005 Junior World Championships he won the silver medal in the men's -56 kg class, with a total of 276 kg... |
Weightlifting Weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics Weightlifting competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 9 to August 19. Competitions were conducted at the Beihang University Gymnasium.-Events:15 sets of medals were awarded in the following events:... |
Men's 56 kg Weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 56 kg The men's 56 kg weightlifting event was the lightest men's event at the weightlifting competition, limiting competitors to a maximum of 56 kilograms of body mass. The whole competition took place on August 10, but was divided in two parts due to the number of competitors. Group B weightlifters... |
Athletics
Two athletes represented Vietnam in Beijing.Men
| Athlete | Events | Heat | Semifinal | Final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||||
| Nguyễn Đình Cương | Men's 800 m Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 800 metres -Results:All times shown are in seconds. The following abbreviations are used:* Q denotes qualification by place* q denotes qualification by time* DNS denotes did not start* DNF denotes did not finish* DQ denotes disqualification... |
1:52.06 | 7 | Did not advance | |||||
Women
| Athlete | Events | Heat | Quarter-Final | Semifinal | Final | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||||
| Vũ Thị Hương | Women's 100 m Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metres -Results:All times shown are in seconds. The following abbreviations are used:* Q denotes qualification by place* q denotes qualification by time* PB denotes personal best* SB denotes season best* NR denotes national record... |
11.65 | 3 Q | 11.70 | 8 | Did not advance | |||||
Badminton
Vietnam sent two athletes to compete in two of the five badminton events. Nguyễn Tiến Minh entered ranked 24th in the world, while Lê Ngọc Nguyên Nhung was ranked 72nd.Men
| Athlete | Event | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Rank | |||
| Nguyễn Tiến Minh | Singles Badminton at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's singles These are the results of the men's singles competition in badminton at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.The tournament consisted of a single-elimination tournament. Matches were played using a best-of-three games format. Games were played to 21 points, using rally scoring... |
Bye | L 16-21, 21-15, 15-21 |
Did not advance | |||||
Women
| Athlete | Event | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Rank | |||
| Lê Ngọc Nguyên Nhung | Singles Badminton at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's singles These are the results of the women's singles competition in badminton at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.The tournament consisted of a single-elimination tournament. Matches were played using a best-of-three games format. Games were played to 21 points, using rally scoring... |
W 21-13, 21-12 |
L 7-21, 12-21 |
Did not advance | |||||
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Artistic
Đỗ Thị Ngân ThươngDo Thi Ngan Thuong
Đỗ Thị Ngân Thương is a Vietnamese artistic gymnast. Thương is the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and 2007 Southeast Asian Games champion on the balance beam and 2007 bronze medalist on the floor exercise...
represented Vietnam in artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
, becoming the first Vietnamese gymnast to be selected for Olympic competition. Although she did not qualify
Gymnastics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Qualification
-Qualification Summary:* Artistic Gymnastics, NOCs with 6 entered athletes may also enter the team competition.-Qualification timeline:-Artistic:An NOC may enter up to 6 men and 6 women athletes...
individually, she received a wild card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
invitation from the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
. She competed in the qualification stage, where her 52.1 final score placed her in 59th overall, missing the event and all-around competition finals. On the 15 August Thuong failed a drugs test for furosemide
Furosemide
Furosemide or frusemide is a loop diuretic used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and edema. It is most commonly marketed by Sanofi-Aventis under the brand name Lasix...
and her result was disqualified. IOC professor Arne Ljungqvist
Arne Ljungqvist
Arne Gunnar Gunnarsson Ljungqvist, born April 23, 1931 in Stockholm is a Swedish medical researcher and sports personality. Ljungqvist is a member of the International Olympic Committee , chairman of IOC's Medical Commission, and vice chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency .- Biography :In his...
suggested Thuong's drug use was due to "poor information of the athlete", rather than a deliberate attempt to violate the rules.
Women
| Athlete | Event | Qualification Apparatus | Qualification | Final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vault | Floor | Uneven Bars | Balance Beam | Total | Rank | Total | Rank | ||
| Đỗ Thị Ngân Thương Do Thi Ngan Thuong Đỗ Thị Ngân Thương is a Vietnamese artistic gymnast. Thương is the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and 2007 Southeast Asian Games champion on the balance beam and 2007 bronze medalist on the floor exercise... |
All-around | 13.400 | 11.900 | 12.575 | 14.225 | 52.100 | Disqualified | ||
Shooting
One athlete qualified to compete in two shooting events. Nguyễn Mạnh Tường failed to advance in either the 10 metre or 50 metre pistol events.Men
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Final | Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Rank | Score | Rank | |||
| Nguyễn Mạnh Tường | 10 m air pistol | 572 | 34 | Did not advance | 34 | |
| 50 m pistol | 543 | 38 | Did not advance | 38 | ||
Swimming
One athlete qualified to compete in swimming at the Games, finishing 58th and failing to advance.| Athlete | Events | Heat | Semifinal | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Nguyễn Hữu Việt | Men's 100 m breaststroke | 1:06.36 | 58 | Did not advance | |||
Table tennis
One athlete competed for Vietnam in the men's table tennis singles tournament. Đoàn Kiến Quốc won his first two matches, but lost in the second round to a Russian opponent.| Athlete | Event | Preliminary round | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
|||
| Đoàn Kiến Quốc | Singles Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's singles The Men's singles table tennis event was a part of the Table Tennis program and took place at the Peking University Gymnasium. The tournament started on August 19 and the finals took place on August 23.... |
W 11-8, 11-7, 12-10, 11-5 |
W 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 14-12 |
L 3-11, 11-5, 4-11, 12-14, 8-11 |
Did not advance | |||||
Taekwondo
Vietnam sent three athletes to compete in three taekwondo events at the Games. The team had an overall record of 1-3, with only Trần Thị Ngọc Trúc managing to win a match. Trần qualified for the repechage after her second round opponent made the final, but could not advance to a bronze medal match.Men
| Athlete | Event | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage Semifinals |
Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
||||
| Nguyễn Văn Hùng Nguyen Van Hung (martial artist) Nguyễn Văn Hùng is a Vietnamese martial artist. He is a three-time gold medalist in Taekwondo at the Southeast Asian Games. He also represented his country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in taekwondo. For his accomplishments in sport, his government granted him the Honourable First Class Labour... |
+80 kg | L 1-3 |
Did not advance | |||||
Women
| Athlete | Event | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage Semifinals |
Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
||||
| Trần Thị Ngọc Trúc | -49 kg | W 5-0 |
L 1-2 |
Advanced to repechage round | L 0-4 |
Did not advance | ||
| Nguyễn Thị Hoài Thu | -57 kg | L 0-1 |
Did not advance | |||||
Weightlifting
Two athletes competed in two weightlifting events at the games. Hoàng Anh Tuấn was ranked fifth in the world in his category and was called Vietnam's best chance at a medal in the Games.This turned out to be an accurate assessment, as he lifted 130 kilograms in the snatchSnatch (weightlifting)
The snatch is one of the two olympic weightlifting events .The essence of the event is to lift a barbell from the platform to locked arms overhead in a smooth continuous movement. The barbell is pulled as high as the lifter can manage at which point the barbell is flipped overhead...
leaving him tied in lift weight for 2nd, but losing a tie on body weight. In the clean and jerk
Clean and jerk
The clean and jerk is one of the two Olympic weightlifting events .The clean portion of the lift refers to the lifter explosively pulling the weight from the floor to a racked position across deltoids and clavicles...
, Hoàng made his first lift at 155 kilos, but missed his second attempt at 160 and fell back to 4th. However, on his final lift he was successful at 160 kilograms, while his opponents in the battle for the silver medal all missed at that weight or selected a lower weight to attempt, moving him into second place by two kilograms. This was just the second Olympic medal in Vietnamese history, and the first in weightlifting.
Men
| Athlete | Event | Snatch | Clean & Jerk | Total | Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result (kg) | Rank | Result (kg) | Rank | ||||
| Hoàng Anh Tuấn Hoang Anh Tuan Hoang Anh Tuan is a Vietnamese weightlifter.At the 2005 Junior World Championships he won the silver medal in the men's -56 kg class, with a total of 276 kg... |
-56 kg Weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 56 kg The men's 56 kg weightlifting event was the lightest men's event at the weightlifting competition, limiting competitors to a maximum of 56 kilograms of body mass. The whole competition took place on August 10, but was divided in two parts due to the number of competitors. Group B weightlifters... |
130 | 3 | 160 | 2 | 290 | |
Women
| Athlete | Event | Snatch | Clean & Jerk | Total | Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result (kg) | Rank | Result (kg) | Rank | ||||
| Nguyễn Thị Thiết | -63 kg Weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 63 kg The women's 63 kg weightlifting event was the fourth women's event at the weightlifting competition, with competitors limited to a maximum of 63 kilograms of body mass. The whole competition took place on August 12, but was divided in two parts due to the number of competitors. Group B... |
100 | 7 | 125 | 6 | 225 | 5 |