Vietnam's first Olympic medallist Tran Hieu Ngan was hailed a hero at home today after her success was seen as a turning point for sport in the country. Her home town Tuy Hoa, a poor fishing community in Phu Yen province on Vietnam's central coast, was stunned by Ngan's silver medal win in the Women's Taekwondo in Sydney on Thursday. Youngsters in Tuy Hoa gathered at the centre of the town and chanted Ngan's name and Friday's newspapers hailed her success. "Tran Hieu Ngan becomes a national hero" the state-run Vietnam News said in a headline. The diminutive 26-year-old Ngan had to overcome the biggest tragedy of her life to win the medal when her father died just months before the Olympics. She lost her father to illness in July but still managed to complete her training to secure a memorable victory for herself, and her nation.
Reuters
Filed by Shane Murray
