Competing in the pommel horse final, Dang Ngoc Xuan Thien delivered a standout performance, earning the highest score from the judges and clinching the gold medal at the FIG World Challenge Cup.

He was followed by Zeinolla Idrissov of Kazakhstan (silver) and Abdulla Azimov of Uzbekistan (bronze).

Xuan Thien’s triumph came as a major surprise, as he was considered less favored compared to his rivals, including Idrissov, who previously won a silver and bronze medal at the 2025 World Championships earlier this year.

Following Xuan Thien’s success, Team Vietnam remains hopeful for more medals with Nguyen Van Khanh Phong (still rings), Trinh Hai Khang (vault), and Dinh Phuong Thanh (parallel bars) still in contention.

Vietnam’s artistic gymnastics team, led by coach Truong Minh Sang, has entered five male athletes to compete at the FIG World Challenge Cup 2025 in Bulgaria. The competition runs from May 8 to May 11.

Earlier, at the 2025 Asian Canoeing Championships held in China, Vietnam’s canoeing team secured one gold, four silver, and one bronze medal, finishing third overall.

The valuable gold medal came from the mixed C4 (C4 Mix) event. The Vietnamese team (Pham Hong Quan, Bui Thi Yen, Ma Thi Thuy, and Hien Nam) outpaced strong competitors from China and Kazakhstan to claim a resounding victory.

Dai Nam