Star swimmer returns to competition after int'l retirement

Nguyen Thi Anh Vien won four gold medals at the national swimming championship after announcing her retirement from international competitions last year.

On the first day of the championship, Vien claimed four victories in the women’s 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m mixed freestyle relay.

This year’s championship, which takes place from March 1 to 6, didn't see the participation of national team swimmers, as they are going on a training trip abroad to prepare for SEA Games 31 that will be hosted in Vietnam this May.

After Tokyo Olympics last year, Vien requested to leave the national team due to her age and continuously dropping form.

She had retired once before, in 2020, but decided to return to swimming. Currently, all related parties want her to continue and compete at SEA Games 31.

Vien, 25, is the most successful Vietnamese swimmer in history.

During 10 years of her professional career, Vien won 25 SEA Games golds, a silver and three bronze medals in Asian tournaments, and a Youth Olympic gold. She has dominated domestic swimming in Vietnam for years, holding many accolades and records.

Vien participated in Olympics 2016 and 2021 but couldn't make it past the first round in both events.