Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Long jumper BuiThi Thu Thao scored a double triumph at the Victory Cup gala for the bestplayers and coaches of 2018 in Hanoi on February 1, winning the awards forFemale Athlete of the Year and Most Favourite Athlete of the Year.

The Hanoian outstripped strong contenders inFemale Athlete of the Year voting, including runner Quach Thi Lanand cyclist Nguyen Thi That.

This was the second time in a row she took theaward. The 26-year-old won a gold medal at the Asian Games (ASIAD) inIndonesia.

"Last year when I accepted the award Ipromised to win the Asian Games gold,” said Thao on stage. “And I did it.”

"It is really a great honour to have achance to stand here and be recognised for what I have tried my best to dothrough the year,” she said. “To achieve such success I have to say a big‘thank you’ to my coach Nguyen Manh Hieu and my former coach Nguyen Trong Ho,who did not work with me but always takes care of me as a manager.”

The Male Athlete of the Year prize went totalented young footballer Nguyen Quang Hai.

Hai played a key role in Vietnam’s silver medalat the Asian U23 Football Championship, its fourth place finish in the ASIADand the famous AFF Cup victory.

He was the country’s best footballer of the yearand the best player in the AFF Cup at the age of 21.

"I am happy because I have contributed mylabour to the success of the national football team in 2018,” Hai said. “I hopethat people will continue supporting us so that we can bring home more and morevictories.”

Hai and four teammates also represented thenational team to accept the award for the Team of the Year.

Defender Do Duy Manh received the Image of theYear award. After Vietnam lost to Uzbekistan in the last second of the U23Championship, Manh placed the national flag on top of a snow pile, rising upthe Vietnamese spirit.

It was the fourth edition of the event which isconsidered the ’Oscars of Vietnamese sports’. Unlike other awards whichhighlighted top 10 athletes, the Victory Cup honoured athletes in separatecategories.

This year, there were new classes for Foreign Coach of the year and Teammatesof the Year.

With his brilliant success with the nationalfootball squads, Korean Park Hang-seo was the top choice for the coachingaward. 

Park did accept his award in person as he is inhis hometown for a month of rest after a busy year.

He sent his ’thank you’ to Vietnamese people forthe award, saying that in fact it was for the whole team, players, coaches andstaff.

Teammates of the Year went to four women on therowing team who won the first gold medal for Vietnam at the ASIAD.

Young Athlete of the Year went to swimmer NguyenHuy Hoang, who pocketed one silver and one bronze at the ASIAD after winning agold medal at the Youth Olympics in Argentina. 

"Some years ago I watch Nguyen Thi Anh Vienwin this award,” Hoang said. “I asked myself to do the same as her, and thisyear I am here. Thank you for voting for me. I will have to work harder in thecoming years."

The Athlete with Disabilities of the Year awardhonoured swimmer Vo Thanh Tung.

"It is the third time I am nominated andthis time I won,” Tung said. “People recognised my labour under the strongsupport of my family and managers. The award will be a strong push for not onlyme but also for every athlete to a reach higher level in their career.”

The Coach of the Year title went to coach NguyenManh Hieu while former footballer Le The Tho was presented a LifetimeAchievement award.-VNS/VNA