MANILA • Hoang Xuan Vinh may have had a rare smile on Saturday but Vietnam's first Olympic champion told The Straits Times: "On the inside, I'm not smiling."
Vinh, who won the men's 10m air pistol at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, had to settle for his second straight SEA Games silver despite leading through most of the final at the Marine Corps Training Centre.
After 9.4 points in the penultimate round, he shook his head and sighed as Pongpol Kulchairattana edged ahead by 0.1 point.
The Thai eventually won with 240.5 to Vinh's 239.6. Singapore's Lin Jingxiang was fifth on 174.6.
"These are my 10th SEA Games, and I think they might be my last," said Vinh. When reminded that the 2021 edition will be in Hanoi, he laughed, saying: "I don't know... we'll see in two years' time. I'll keep training."
He rued his lack of focus while praising his opponent's, adding: "I wasn't good psychologically. I was okay at the beginning but my last few shots were not good."
This edition caps a "not so good" year for the 45-year-old, who has yet to qualify for Tokyo 2020.
Since becoming the first Vietnamese to win two Olympic medals - he also clinched the 50m pistol silver in Rio - his results have gone downhill.
He did not reach the 10m final at last year's Asian Games and at last month's Asian championships, one of the Tokyo qualifiers.
Defending his Olympic title is his top priority and he vowed: "I'll try very hard (to qualify). My scores at the World Cups this year have been low.
"I will make some changes to my training style. I have to compete more and improve my focus, so I can achieve what I want."
Admitting that he feels pressure, Vinh, who has till May 31 to qualify, said: "I need to relax my mind... I want to feel light, enjoy competing and not worry."
The pressure at the SEA Games is partly because he feels the younger ones have not fully honed their skills, though he is confident 17-year-old Bui Thuy Thu Thuy can bag a medal in the women's 10m air pistol today.
He told Vietnamese media: "I believe in her. I'm not sure about gold but I believe she can win a medal."
Thuy grinned and appeared emotional when she heard of the endorsement. She said: "Of course I want a medal... But this means so much as he is a role model."
It now remains to be seen if Vinh can carve a role for himself at the Olympics.
Nicole Chia
