Over the weekend a Vietnamese boxer clinched Vietnam’s first silver medal at a major world tournament since 2011.
As Tuoi Tre reports, 17-year-old Do Hong Ngoc brought home the silver medal after a heated match with Indian opponent Shashi Chopra. The match, held last Sunday, was the final event of the 57 kilogram category at the Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships organized by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
Ngoc and Chopra fought an equal match; yet, in the end, the Indian athlete had a slight edge over Ngoc and emerged the winner after four out of five referees gave her a higher score.
Video via YouTube channel BFI Official.
However, Ngoc’s silver was an impressive achievement in itself as this was the first time Vietnam won a medal at an AIBA championship. Moreover, the 17-year-old was the country’s only representative at the tournament.
Before advancing to the final, Ngoc edged out Turkey’s En Havanur, the US’ Martinez Roma Linda and China’s Hu Cailing.
This year’s AIBA competition was held in Guwahati, the largest city in Assam State in northeastern India, featuring 150 participants from 38 countries and territories. There were 10 divisions ranging from 48 kilograms to 81 kilograms.
Do Hong Ngoc at a previous regional boxing tournament. Photo via Vo Thuat.
Do Hong Ngoc was born in 2000 in Can Tho. She joined the boxing team in her hometown in July, 2014 and has brought home several accolades since then, according to Vo Thuat, a news website focused on martial arts. Vietnam’s sport officials have shared plans to include Ngoc in the national team for future sport tournaments.
[Photo via Flickr user Boxing AIBA]
