Hoàng Xuân Vinh became the first athlete from Vietnam to claim an Olympic gold medal, achieving the milestone at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Competing in the men’s 10-meter air pistol event, he secured the title with a final score of 202.5 points, setting an Olympic record under the format established in 2013.
Military Origins and Early Training
Born in 1974 in Sơn Tây and raised in Hanoi, Hoàng Xuân Vinh entered the military after finishing high school. He trained at the Military Engineering Officer School in Sông Bé province and later at the Army Officer School 2. In 1994, he was assigned to the 239th Engineer Brigade in Thường Tín, Ha Tay province. His performance as a marksman in military competitions led to his recruitment by the Army Club in 1999 and his subsequent call-up to the national shooting team at age 26.
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Take the IQ test →Regional Success and Consistency
Between 2001 and 2011, he maintained a streak of winning at least one gold medal during every SEA Games. His regional achievements included multiple golds at the 2007 games in Thailand, where he dominated the men's 10m air pistol and 25m revolver events. At the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, he added further gold medals in both categories. His regional winning streak eventually concluded at the 2017 SEA Games, where he was eliminated during the competition.
International Competition and Olympic Debut
Hoàng Xuân Vinh’s path to international prominence included the 2006 and 2010 Asian Games. He qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London via the Asian Championship in Qatar. In London, he finished fourth in the 50m free pistol event, narrowly missing a bronze medal by 0.1 points after a final shot of 10.2. Later that year, he secured his first Asian gold at the Asian Air Gun Championship in China, followed by a gold medal at the 2013 ISSF World Cup in South Korea.
The 2016 Olympic Achievement
At the 2016 Games, he engaged in a head-to-head battle for gold against Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil. Despite trailing before the final shot, he maintained composure to score 10.7, securing his place as the first Vietnamese Olympic gold medalist. He also earned a silver medal in the 50m pistol competition during the same event. He continued his Olympic participation by representing Vietnam at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Fast facts
- Born: 1974, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Sport: Shooting
- Olympic Gold Medal: 2016, 10-meter air pistol
- Olympic Silver Medal: 2016, 50-meter pistol
- Military Training: Military Engineering Officer School, Sông Bé
- National Record: 10m air pistol, 580 points (2000)
- Olympic Appearances: 2012, 2016, 2020
Questions readers ask
Was Hoàng Xuân Vinh the first Vietnamese person to win an Olympic gold medal?
Yes, he became the first athlete from Vietnam to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro event.
Which Olympic events did he compete in?
He competed in the 10-meter air pistol and 50-meter pistol events.
Achievements
- Competed at 2006 Asian Games, 2010 Asian Games and shooting at the 2012 Summer Olympics – men's 10 metre air pistol
- Discipline: shooting sports
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