Vietnam Sepak Takraw is determined to beat Thailand for the third consecutive time, aspiring to win gold at SEA Games 33

Vietnam’s 4-person women’s sepak takraw team has beaten Thailand twice in 2025 at the World Cup in India and the World Championship in Hatyai, right on Thai soil. So Vietnam is determined to beat the host of the 33rd SEA Games.

Nearly 2 decades of return with coach Tran Thi Vui and the new generation of Vietnamese Sepak Takraw talents

Talking about Vietnamese Sepak Takraw over the past 30 years since it began participating in regional and world competitions, the achievement of 2 gold medals at the Asian Games - ASIAD in Doha (Qatar) in 2006 is still a huge mark. This achievement opened the period when Vietnamese girls confidently rose up to defeat Thailand and Myanmar, the two Sepak Takraw powers at that time, especially with a big opponent like the Thais. The generation of Luu Thi Thanh, Nguyen Hai Thao, Nguyen Duc Thu Hien or before that Hoang Thi Thai Xuan, Tran Thi Vui were the ones who contributed to the introduction of Sepak Takraw to Vietnam, truly exciting the hearts of fans.

Vietnamese women's sepak takraw wins 4-a-side world championship in 2025

PHOTO: ISTAF

However, after these brilliant results, although sepak takraw is still a strength of Vietnam, winning medals at the Games, there is still a silence somewhere. Apart from the somewhat disappointing successor class, countries in the region have made strong progress such as Cambodia and Indonesia, the main thing is that we do not have enough ability and courage to create a unique playing style, maintain a position to be able to regularly defeat the Thais and opponents. This is clearly seen in both recent SEA Games, such as in Cambodia in 2023, there was only 1 gold medal in women's doubles, and at home in 2021, we did not have a single gold medal.

How to defend 3 people at the net in a mixed team practice session

PHOTO: KHA HOA

Not accepting to fall behind, Vietnamese sepak takraw has undergone many drastic changes in recent times. In addition to promoting the development of the movement, fiercely searching from grassroots to national tournaments to find new gems, the team has also raised its professional level. The appearance of coach Tran Thi Vui, a dedicated teacher who laid the first bricks for Vietnamese sepak takraw in the late 90s, has contributed to creating a rebound. Ms. Vui, with her rich experience and knowledge, has built a suitable strategy, knowing herself and her opponent, has "blown fire" into the playing style of the sepak takraw team, creating a dignified playing style with many marks.

Coach Tran Thi Vui is diligently and devotedly bringing strength to the women's sepak takraw team.

PHOTO: KHA HOA

Besides a new generation of talents emerging such as Nguyen Thi My, Tran Thi Ngoc Yen, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Huyen, Nguyen Thi Yen, the good thing about Coach Tran Thi Vui is that she gives them confidence, high concentration and a stable spirit. She always puts her students in a context of always facing many challenges to know how to show their will to overcome pressure. The 4-person women's team championship at the 2022 Asian Games is the first sweet fruit that Sepak Takraw marked a strong return to the big arena after nearly 20 years. Especially in the big matches in 2025, Coach Tran Thi Vui's ability to read the game well and have appropriate psychological therapies has really brought many achievements. That is the miracle of 2 consecutive victories over Thailand in the final of the 4-person women's team at the World Cup in India and the World Championship right on Thai soil.

Attacking movements and high defensive jumps of 2-person team sepak takraw

PHOTO: KHA HOA

Beat host Thailand at SEA Games 33, why not?

Coach Tran Thi Vui and her students have proudly won titles at the world and Asian tournaments, but now it is time to conquer a smaller, equally fierce arena, the SEA Games. Many people often think it is paradoxical why the world and ASIAD champions are "afraid" of the SEA Games. Actually, it is not fear but necessary caution because the SEA Games is also the gathering place of many strong opponents, no less than the Asian Games or the world tournament, so the quality and competition will not be inferior.

The kick that scored the goal of the 4-man male and female team

PHOTO: KHA HOA

Coach Tran Thi Vui also emphasized that after two defeats against Vietnam, the Thais will definitely be determined to regain what they have lost. They will not be defeated and will find every way to win again. In fact, the skill gap between us and them is very close, so the competition will be fierce. Therefore, the 4-person women's team will also make every effort to protect what has been built over the past few years. According to Ms. Vui, because Thailand has abandoned the women's doubles event where we won the gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games, Vietnam is forced to focus on the 4-person mixed team event. This is a new event where the Thais are very strong, but that does not mean we do not have hope of competing for the gold medal.

Active training of the Vietnamese men's and women's sepak takraw team at the High-Level Athlete Training Center

PHOTO: KHA HOA

In addition to the target for the women's sepak takraw to defeat Thailand for the third time this year to try to win at least 1 gold medal, the men's 4-man sepak takraw team will also try to defeat Thailand once again. Remember at the World Championship in Thailand last July, the men's 4-man team won Thailand in a resounding semi-final, before accepting to finish second behind Japan. That brave victory over the Thais not only ended their domination of this event on the world stage, but also opened up hope that the Vietnamese men's sepak takraw team could repeat it at the 33rd SEA Games.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cau-may-viet-nam-quyet-thang-thai-lan-lan-thu-3-lien-tiep-khat-vong-gianh-vang-sea-games-33-185251128092939831.htm