The emotional story of Vietnam's first gold medals at the 33rd SEA Games.

Nguyen Thi Huong (canoeing) and Tran Hung Nguyen (swimming) faced their own challenges but overcame them all to bring home the first precious and meaningful gold medals for the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 33rd SEA Games.

N. NGUYEN THI HUONG OVERCOMES DIFFICULTIES

On the afternoon of December 10th, Nguyen Thi Huong and her teammate Diep Thi Huong brilliantly finished first in the women's 500m double canoeing event (C2 500m). This medal is even more valuable considering that the young Vietnamese women had to battle not only strong regional competitors but also the "Ratchaburi monsoon." The strong winds throughout the day made controlling the boat incredibly difficult. But it was precisely in this adversity that the resilience of the "two Huongs" shone brightly. They brought home the first gold medal for the Vietnamese sports delegation at the regional sports games.

Looking at Nguyen Thi Huong's radiant smile on the podium, few would know that she had just gone through a sad low point in her career. On the very last day of 2024, this talented athlete born in 2001 had to say goodbye to the organization that had nurtured her dreams. It was a time when an athlete who had once qualified for the Olympics suddenly felt uncertain. But "fire tests gold, hardship tests strength," and it was during that difficult period that her willpower was further tempered. After months of deliberation, joy returned when she found a new home in Hai Phong . Having a stable organization acted as a morale booster, allowing her to dedicate herself wholeheartedly. This quickly translated into strength on the track.

The gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games is a testament to Nguyen Thi Huong's talent and determination. However, her journey to conquer the Games is not yet over. She still has the women's 200m C2 event to face – a challenge predicted to be much more difficult given the formidable physical strength of her Thai and Indonesian opponents. But with the momentum from this early success and her inherent talent, fans have every right to believe that she will continue to reap achievements for Vietnamese sports.

THE COURAGE OF TRAN HUNG NGUYEN

That evening, Tran Hung Nguyen brought the Vietnamese fans at the Huamark Sports Complex swimming pool (Bangkok) to tears of joy. He was the biggest hope, predicted to bring home the first gold medal for Vietnamese swimming at the 33rd SEA Games. Therefore, he entered the pool under immense pressure. But in the end, with his superior composure, he delivered a completely dominant performance. In his favorite 200m individual medley event, the swimmer from Quang Binh province led in all four strokes (breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke, and freestyle). He finished with a time of 2 minutes 02 seconds 11, creating a considerable gap between himself and his rivals Christopher San (Philippines - Silver Medal - 2 minutes 03 seconds 88) and Nguyen Quang Thuan (Vietnam - Bronze Medal - 2 minutes 04 seconds 19). Although this isn't his personal best, it shows how hard the 2003-born athlete has worked. In his most recent competition (the Asian Championships), Hung Nguyen's time was 2 minutes 02 seconds 71 ​​(bronze medal). In the qualifying round held that morning, he only finished third with a time of 2 minutes 07 seconds 82.

There were times when Hung Nguyen wasn't at his best, facing a lot of pressure, but he still dominated the men's 200m individual medley, winning four consecutive SEA Games gold medals (30, 31, 32, 33). This is an achievement that few athletes can accomplish. Hopefully, this will be the motivation for him to continue conquering more gold medals in other events such as the 400m individual medley and the 4 x 200m freestyle relay.

The Cambodian sports delegation returned home after the opening ceremony.

According to The Phnom Penh Post , the Cambodian sports delegation decided not to participate in any events on December 10th, the first official day of competition at the 33rd SEA Games, despite having attended the opening ceremony. They also withdrew all athletes, coaches, and officials back home. "The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) has announced the withdrawal of all Cambodian athletes from the 33rd SEA Games currently taking place in Thailand. They thank the Thai sports authorities for their hospitality, but regret that they are withdrawing for security reasons amidst the ongoing conflict," The Phnom Penh Post reported.

Giang Lao

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dang-sau-nhung-tam-hcv-dau-tien-cua-the-thao-viet-nam-tai-sea-games-33-185251210230738429.htm