The competition is being held in India and officially commenced on the evening of July 28, local time. The women's 40kg and men's 49kg categories were the first events to take place. Vietnam weightlifting has already secured a valuable gold medal on the opening day, thanks to the remarkable performance of young weightlifter Nguyen Phuong Linh.
In the women's 40kg category, Phuong Linh excelled with a snatch of 56kg and a clean and jerk of 68kg, accumulating a total lift of 124kg. Her outstanding snatch performance earned her a silver medal, while her impressive clean and jerk lifts and total weight secured her the gold medal, clinching first place in the competition.
In this competition, Phuong Linh encountered a formidable competitor, female weightlifter Alexsandra Ann Diaz from the Philippines. Notably, Alexsandra Ann Diaz is the granddaughter of the famous athlete Hidilyn Diaz, who won the gold medal in weightlifting at the Olympic Tokyo 2020 for the Philippines. Alexsandra secured a gold medal in the snatch with a lift of 57kg but settled for silver medals in both the clean and jerk (66kg) and total lift (123kg).
In this tournament, the young Vietnamese weightlifting team boasts a strong lineup featuring athletes such as Bac Giang, Tuan Kiet, Hoai Huong, Phuong Linh, Nhat Ha, Anh Nhu, Nguyen Thi Hoai, Van Nam, K'Brum, K'Duong, Tu Tung, Minh Dao, Kim Lua, Ha Thi Xien, Minh Tri, Bich Tram, A Tieu, A Tan, and Yen Nhi. The championship will run until August 5.
This year, the event has attracted 220 athletes from 18 countries and territories across the continent to compete.
