Swimming, the blue track, is always worth watching.

It has been more than a decade since Anh Vien made her debut at the 2011 SEA Games, opening a special chapter in the history of Vietnamese swimming at the regional arena.

Quang Thuấn (right) surpasses his senior teammate Hưng Nguyên in the 400m individual medley - Photo: NAM TRẦN

Vietnamese sports fans in the 1980s and 1990s probably haven't forgotten the feeling of helplessness experienced by swimmer Nguyen Kieu Oanh, once considered the first "queen of swimming" in Vietnam. No matter how excellent she was, when competing in the SEA Games, a medal remained a luxury for her, as well as for her head coach, Do Trong Thinh – who later became Kieu Oanh's husband.

The development of science, technology, and sports in general has turned what was once a dream into something commonplace, even commonplace in the 2010s. The generation of swimmers like Ánh Viên, Hoàng Quý Phước, and Lâm Quang Nhật emerged, making the swimming team a major "gold mine" for the Vietnamese sports delegation at the SEA Games.

Following that generation is a host of stars from the swimming academy at Center 4 (formerly the National Sports Training Center in Can Tho ), nurtured by Chinese expert Hoang Quoc Huy. These names include Huy Hoang, Hung Nguyen, and Thanh Bao – a group of male swimmers who have helped Vietnam compete on equal footing with Singapore in the last 3-4 SEA Games.

The "golden generation" of Vietnamese swimming has faded into the background, with Anh Vien and Quy Phuoc leaving the national team, and Lam Quang Nhat switching to triathlon. The next generation, including Huy Hoang, Hung Nguyen, and Thanh Bao, are also gradually declining after a period of explosive performance lasting over five years (in swimming, Vietnamese athletes often struggle to maintain their form after the age of 25).

And then a new generation emerged, with Nguyen Quang Thuan's gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games. On the evening of December 12th, Quang Thuan surpassed his senior teammate Hung Nguyen to convincingly win the 400m individual medley. And surely everyone in the swimming community knows that Quang Thuan is the younger brother of Anh Vien.

Another factor worth noting is that Quang Thuan is not from the same training center as Huy Hoang and Hung Nguyen. This demonstrates the extensive development of Vietnamese swimming. And besides Quang Thuan, there is also Thuy Hien - the 16-year-old girl who has caused a stir in the regional swimming scene.

Given what has happened at the SEA Games in recent years, the swimming competition is always worth watching for Vietnamese sports fans.

HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/mon-boi-loi-duong-dua-xanh-luon-dang-xem-2025121310085852.htm