The 2017 National Swimming and Diving Championships (25m-pool) are taking place at Thua Thien-Hue Province’s Sports Centre from 20 - 27 March. A total of 200 swimmers and divers, in over 20 teams from across the country, are competing.

Swimmer Hoang Quy Phuoc

During the first 4 days of the swimming competition, Hoang Quy Phuoc from Da Nang gave impressive performances.  He bagged a total of 6 well-deserved gold medals, 2 silver, and 4 bronze in both individual and relay events.

On 23 March, he won a gold medal and established a new national record of 1 min 45.15 in the men’s 200m freestyle, breaking his own previous record of 1 min 46 set in South Korea in 2013.

On 24 March, Phuoc set a new national record after finishing the men’s 50m freestyle race in 22.74 secs. This outstanding achievement broke his own previous record of 22.90 secs, which he set in Turkey in 2012.

On the same day, Phuoc won a gold medal in the men’s 100m butterfly event in a time of 53.13 secs, and a bronze in the men’s 100m backstroke event in 56.19 secs.  In addition, Phuoc and the other members of the city’s male relay team took the bronze medal in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay race.

On 26 March, in the men’s 100 freestyle, the ‘extraordinary man of the Han River’ won the gold medal in a time of 48.96 secs which broke his previous personal best of 48.98 set in Da Nang in July 2013.  He continued by setting a new national record of 1 min 57.51 in the men’s 200m butterfly, breaking his own previous record of 1 min 58.71 set in Da Nang in March 2014.

After these first 4 days of the championships, Ho Chi Minh City’s team lies in 1^st place with 18 gold medals, 7 silver and 6 bronze, whilst Da Nang is 2^nd with 6 gold medals, 2 silver and 4 bronze.  The Quang Binh team is 3^rd with 5 gold medals, 2 silver and 5 bronze.