Athlete Trinh Thi Kim Thanh from the Binh Duong petanque team shared her emotions after a remarkable performance in the qualifiers, which helped Vietnam secure its first and only gold medal at the 2024 Asian petanque tournament.
Hard training helps petanque athlete Kim Thanh win consecutive Asian and world gold medals in 2023 and 2024.
Trinh Thi Kim Thanh is affectionately referred to as "the petite girl" by her teammates on both the Binh Duong and Vietnam petanque teams. Despite her small stature, she is incredibly strong and decisive on the field. Her critical throws, executed with pinpoint accuracy, have played a significant role in her team's success. Thanks to Kim Thanh's courageous and precise throws, Binh Duong and the Vietnam petanque teams have continuously reached the pinnacle of glory in Asia and around the world in 2023 and 2024.
The two Asian gold medals 2023 and 2024 that Kim Thanh and her teammates won were in two different competitions. In 2023 in Malaysia, Kim Thanh and her teammates won the Asian gold medal in the women's trio event. Recently, at the 2024 Asian petanque tournament, Kim Thanh and her teammates won the gold medal in the women's doubles event. Two different competitions with varying levels of difficulty and opponents, combined with proven expertise and courage at decisive moments, helped Kim Thanh confidently bring glory to Binh Duong sports and Vietnam as a whole.
According to coach Vu Khang Duy of Binh Duong petanque team, with the 2024 Asian gold medal and the points accumulated since 2023, Trinh Thi Kim Thanh currently has enough points to be part of the Vietnamese petanque team competing at the 2025 SEA Games taking place in December 2025 in Thailand. The SEA Games gold medal is the only achievement that Kim Thanh is missing to add to her huge collection.
Reported by Thai Hai - Translated by Ngoc Huynh