Vietnamese athletics hopes to reclaim the top spot.

Vietnamese athletics hopes to reclaim the top spot.

Overcoming obstacles and then falling behind.

For nearly a decade, Vietnamese athletics has repeatedly dominated Thailand, securing the top position in the overall medal standings at the SEA Games. At the 29th SEA Games, the team won 17 gold medals, almost double that of Thailand.

The athletics team before departing for the 33rd SEA Games.

At the 30th SEA Games, Vietnam maintained its leading position with 16 gold medals, while Thailand ranked second with 12 gold medals. The 31st SEA Games continued to witness a strong surge, with Vietnamese athletics winning 22 gold medals and Thailand winning 12.

However, at the 32nd SEA Games (2023), Thailand rose to the top with 16 gold medals. Vietnamese athletics only achieved 12 gold medals and lost its number one position after leading in three consecutive SEA Games.

This shows that the competitive landscape between the two leading athletics nations in the region is becoming increasingly balanced, while also posing a major challenge for Vietnam in its journey at the 33rd SEA Games.

Vietnamese athletics entered the 33rd SEA Games with the goal of winning at least 12 gold medals, and ideally up to 14. In fact, the initial target for the Vietnamese athletics team was 12-14 gold medals at the 33rd SEA Games. However, in technical meetings held before departure, the target was reduced to 12 gold medals. At this year's Games, Vietnam participated in 39 out of 47 events, with a team of 50 athletes.

Team leader Nguyen Duc Nguyen (in charge of athletics at the Vietnam Sports Department) said that the entire team had prepared thoroughly, including numerous overseas training trips. In particular, the women's 4x400m relay team even trained in France. Before departure, bad news came to the team when javelin thrower Nguyen Hoai Van tore a ligament during training. Hoai Van was expected to make a breakthrough at these SEA Games, so his unexpected absence was seen as a difficulty for the team in achieving its target of 12 gold medals. Immediately afterwards, the coaching staff had to instruct the athletes to take care during training to avoid further injuries.

In a recent statement, Mr. Duong Duc Thuy, former Head of the Athletics Department (General Department of Sports and Physical Training - now the Vietnam Sports and Physical Training Department), predicted that the 33rd SEA Games will be a fierce competition between Thai and Vietnamese athletics teams, as well as several other teams. Thailand, as the host of the SEA Games, will certainly aim to assert its leading position, targeting 16-22 gold medals. Vietnam's target of 12 gold medals is reasonable, but achieving 14 gold medals is entirely feasible if the athletes perform at their best and young talents make breakthroughs at the right time.

Furthermore, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia are fiercely competing with Thailand in key events for the host nation. This could prevent the host team from achieving its gold medal target as planned. This will create an opportunity for Vietnam to narrow the gap or even take the lead. Initial information from the Vietnamese athletics team suggests this is entirely possible, as these countries all have athletes capable of competing for the top spot at the SEA Games 33. The question remains how well the Thai athletes will perform when competing on home soil.

Waiting for a breakthrough from our core content areas.

According to many experts, Vietnam's traditional strengths in athletics remain concentrated in middle-distance and long-distance events, as well as women's relay events. Specifically, the 400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, 1,500m, 5,000m, 10,000m, 3,000m steeplechase, 4x400m women's relay, and 4x400m mixed men and women's relay are still expected to win gold medals for the Vietnamese athletics team.

One of the most highly anticipated athletes continues to be Nguyen Thi Oanh. At the 32nd SEA Games, she won all four gold medals in the four events she participated in, extending her dominance from the 29th SEA Games to the present. In addition, the women's 4x400m relay continues to be a "gold mine" for the team. Having received continuous investment since 2010 with the aim of achieving Olympic standards, the Vietnamese women's 4x400m relay team is currently among the strongest in the region and is considered "almost certain to win a gold medal" at the 33rd SEA Games.

From the perspective of preparing the team, Mr. Nguyen Duc Nguyen once emphasized that rejuvenating the squad is a central task. Names like Ta Ngoc Tuong, Duong Thi Thao, Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Ha Thi Thuy Hang, Le Quoc Huy… are considered capable of competing for medals, even gold medals, in the events they participate in. Clearly, the goal of winning gold medals will not only rely on familiar faces but also on new talents, those participating in the SEA Games for the first time or those who have only participated in the last one or two SEA Games. Only a strong and experienced team can help Vietnamese athletics maintain its position among the leading group in Southeast Asia and achieve further goals. It is encouraging that in recent years, the youth training program in Vietnamese athletics has yielded positive results, providing the national team with more options.

Not only aiming for medals at regional competitions, Vietnamese athletics also views the 33rd SEA Games as a stepping stone towards the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympics. Many events, especially the women's 4x400m relay, 800m and 1500m relays, and the jump team, have received investment aimed at reaching medal-winning standards at the Asian Games. Mr. Duong Duc Thuy assessed that current professional indicators show we are fully capable of competing for medals in many events at the 2026 Asian Games. With long-term investment, the women's 4x400m relay could even approach the Olympic qualifying standard.

Therefore, the 33rd SEA Games is not only a competition for achievements, but also an important test for the journey to elevate Vietnamese athletics in the Asian and world arenas.

Expectations of winning a gold medal on the very first day of competition.

At the 33rd SEA Games, the athletics events will take place from December 11th to 16th. The first day of competition, December 11th, could bring a gold medal for the Vietnamese athletics team when Nguyen Thi Oanh competes in the women's 1,500m event – ​​an event she has dominated for the past four SEA Games. Prior to that, on December 9th, the Vietnamese athletics team arrived in Thailand and had only one day to prepare before the competition.

Minh Khue

Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/dien-kinh-viet-nam-voi-hy-vong-lay-lai-ngoi-dau-i790710/