Not blaming the intense heat, Hoang Nguyen Thanh promises to win back the SEA Games gold

Hoang Nguyen Thanh finished 3rd with a time of 2 hours 35 minutes 49 seconds.

In 2022, Hoang Nguyen Thanh made history when he brought home the first gold medal for Vietnam's marathon at the SEA Games, helping the Vietnamese classic team close out the glorious victory at the 31st SEA Games.

Coming to the 32nd SEA Games, Thanh's goal was to defend his gold medal. However, he finished 3rd overall with a time of 2 hours 35 minutes 49 seconds, behind 2 athletes Agus Prayogo (Indonesia, 2 hours 32 minutes 59 seconds) and Arlan Arbois (Philippines, 2 hours 33 minutes 27 seconds).

Also, the marathon took place right in the grounds of Angkor Wat. The scenery was beautiful but the intense heat and stuffy air made it easy for the athletes to lose their strength.

Hoang Nguyen Thanh takes photos with relatives and leaders of Binh Phuoc province

Initially, the Organizing Committee wanted to organize a route around this relic, but due to a bridge section and more than 100m of unfinished dirt road, the route was adjusted to run straight, 4 U-turns and one small circle.

Competing under harsh weather conditions, athlete Hoang Nguyen Thanh did not blame objective circumstances. Thanh said that his poor performance was not due to the weather or the route, but rather a general difficulty for all fans.

Hoang Nguyen Thanh said: "What I showed today proves that I played below my ability, not playing as well as expected by myself, the management board and the coach. But anyway, Thanh played his best. Thanh fought his best for the Fatherland. Thank you to everyone, the fans, the management board for creating conditions for us to come here early."

Hoang Nguyen Thanh on the podium receiving the medal

The boy from Binh Phuoc also expressed his determination to overcome the psychological pressure to win back the marathon gold medal at the next tournament as a way to "compensate" for Vietnamese fans.

"I promise to perform better next time, regain Vietnam's position in the regional arena, regain the position. In fact, the gold medal at the 31st SEA Games was an extremely big pressure for me, but it was also a very strong motivation for me to try. I did my best. The weather was harsh, but that was a common difficulty. When competing, I was under a certain amount of stress. In the next tournament, I will adjust my mentality better to regain the SEA Games gold medal," athlete Hoang Nguyen Thanh expressed.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/khong-do-loi-cho-nang-nong-du-doi-hoang-nguyen-thanh-hua-se-gianh-lai-vang-sea-games-185230506124018665.htm