~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~ The Vietnam News

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Vietnam wins its first olympic medal SYDNEY - Vietnam won their first Olympic medal -- a silver -- after Tran Hieu Ngan fought her way into the final of the women's 57 kg class in taekwondo on Thursday but then lost to South Korea's Jung Jae-eun. Jung dominated the final, winning 2-0. Taekwondo, which is making its debut at the Sydney Games, is an ancient martial art which resembles karate but focuses on kicks with bare feet and is Korea's national sport. After Ngan won her semifinal match 9-6 against Virginia Lourens of the Netherlands 9-6, guaranteeing Vietnam at least the silver, she celebrated by hugging her opponent, kissing the floor and jumping into the arms of her coach. Ngan, 26, is the fourth of eight children and comes from the small fishing town of Tuy Hoa, capital of the central coastal province of Phu Yen, where her family runs a sweet shop. The town is about 350 km (220 miles) northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. Ngan, who was recently engaged, took up taekwondo when she was 14 and won her first national championship in 1994. She also won an Asian tournament in 1998. Reuters - September 28, 2000.

Vietnam wins silver at Sydney Olympics HANOI - Viet Nam's first ever Olympic medal winner Tran Hieu Ngan today, Sept. 28, won a silver in the under 57-kg category for Taekwondo. Ngan is one of the seven Vietnamese athletes attending the Sydney Olympics. The Vietnamese team wrapped up its competition programme today with the silver medal. Before the victory came, Ha Quang Du, Minister-Chairman of the Viet Nam Sports and Physical Training Committee and President of the Viet Nam National Olympic Committee, answered questions from a Viet Nam News Agency correspondent in Sydney about the Vietnamese sports team. The minister said taking part in the Sydney 2000 Olympics had helped Vietnamese athletes gain more experience and had heightened the country's medal chances for the next Olympics. He added that the delegation had prepared well for its participation. Four Vietnamese athletes passed through the qualifying rounds to bag tickets to the Sydney Olympics and three others won medals at sporting events of the Southeast Asian region. However, very few Vietnamese athletes had attended the Sydney Olympics and the committee would outline a programme for greater participation in the Athens 2004 Olympics. The Minister added that the Vietnamese delegation had also learned lessons about the organization of international sporting events, valuable to its hosting the Southeast Asian Games in 2003. Vietnam News Agency - September 28, 2000.