A major driving force for Vietnamese gymnastics.

At the 2025 World Challenge Cup in Bulgaria, the Vietnamese gymnastics team achieved outstanding results, winning one gold medal and one silver medal.

This achievement has rekindled hope for Vietnamese gymnastics on its journey back to regional and international competitions, and has also provided great motivation for the athletes to confidently pursue their goal of winning a gold medal at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33) later this year in Thailand.

Athlete Dang Ngoc Xuan Thien competing at the 2025 Gymnastics World Cup. Photo: FIG

Breakthrough factors

The Vietnamese gymnastics team has just completed its mission at the 2025 Gymnastics World Cup, held from May 8th to 11th in Bulgaria. Athletes Trinh Hai Khang, Dang Ngoc Xuan Thien, Nguyen Van Khanh Phong, Dinh Phuong Thanh, and Do Nam Anh competed in the pommel horse, rings, parallel bars, vault, and all-around events. In the end, the Vietnamese athletes excellently won 1 gold medal (Dang Ngoc Xuan Thien) in the pommel horse and 1 silver medal (Nguyen Van Khanh Phong) in the rings.

At this competition, Dang Ngoc Xuan Thien displayed outstanding form, leading in the pommel horse event in all stages. This is his first gold medal in his career at the World Challenge Cup. This result also marks the first time in 7 years (since 2018) that Vietnamese gymnastics has won a gold medal at this prestigious competition. In the men's rings event, Nguyen Van Khanh Phong scored 13.566 points and won the silver medal, finishing behind champion Adem Asil (Türkiye, 14.100 points). This is also Khanh Phong's first medal at the World Challenge Cup.

According to Vietnam's gymnastics team head coach Truong Minh Sang, Xuan Thien and Khanh Phong's success is not due to luck but to the results of a systematic training process and sound investment. This achievement is the culmination of over 10 years of preparation, resulting in athletes who are now "mature enough," technically stable, and mentally resilient, like Xuan Thien and Khanh Phong. In particular, in the qualifying round, Xuan Thien displayed outstanding form, leading with 14.850 points – the highest score in the pommel horse event across all stages of this year's World Challenge Cup. He significantly outperformed his two closest rivals, Rayan Radkov (Bulgaria - 14.200 points) and Lee Chih Kai (Taiwan - 14.100 points). This demonstrates that Xuan Thien has reached the level of world-class athletes, giving the coaching staff confidence in setting goals for future international competitions.

According to Bui Trung Thien, Head of the Gymnastics Department (Vietnam Sports Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ), this is the first international competition for the Vietnamese gymnastics team this year. The achievement shows that the coaching staff has prepared the athletes thoroughly. “The team's preparation is not only for the SEA Games or the Asian Championships, but also aims towards the World Cup and Olympic qualifiers. This achievement is a stepping stone for the 33rd SEA Games, and also shows the potential of athletes capable of making breakthroughs and reaching world-class levels,” Mr. Bui Trung Thien affirmed.

Efforts to achieve goals

According to the head coach of the Vietnamese gymnastics team, Truong Minh Sang, the Vietnam Sports Department has set a target of winning 2 to 3 gold medals at the 33rd SEA Games. This is not easy, given the competition from countries with strong gymnastics programs such as Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia. However, the Vietnamese gymnastics team remains determined to achieve the set goal. Currently, after finishing the World Challenge Cup 2025, the team will return home to continue training, aiming for other tournaments such as the Asian Championships in South Korea (June 2025); the World Championships in Indonesia (October 2025); and especially the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand (December 2025).

Having won gold and silver medals at this year's World Challenge Cup, Xuân Thiện and Khánh Phong remain the top contenders expected to achieve the highest results at the SEA Games 33 in the pommel horse and rings events. In the parallel bars event, despite facing the challenge of Filipino gymnastics prodigy Carlos Yulo, athlete Đinh Phương Thành still has a chance to win a medal if he delivers a breakthrough performance.

According to Hoang Quoc Vinh, Head of the High-Performance Sports Department (Vietnam Sports Administration), gymnastics is a key sport, and in the coming time, the Vietnam Sports Administration will create all conditions for key athletes to compete in international tournaments to hone their skills and improve their techniques. In addition, the Administration will coordinate with the sport to select young, promising athletes and send them for long-term training abroad. Only then will gymnastics continuously have a new generation of athletes with the necessary skills to win medals at prestigious competitions such as the SEA Games, ASIAD, and even the Olympics.

Hopefully, the efforts of Vietnamese gymnastics coaches and athletes will make their mark on the international and regional stage in the near future, starting with the 33rd SEA Games.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/dong-luc-lon-cho-the-duc-dung-cu-viet-nam-702633.html