Kickboxing promises to be a breakout sport for the Vietnamese delegation at the 33rd SEA Games - Photo: NAM TRUNG
For at least the next two days, the "gold medal shower" from athletics and swimming promises to continue. This is due to superstars like runner Nguyen Thi Oanh and swimmer Nguyen Huy Hoang continuing to compete in their strongest events. In addition, there are a number of promising young athletes such as Quang Thuan, Thuy Hien, Ta Ngoc Tuong, and others...
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Beyond just medals, track and field and swimming athletes often share extraordinary stories of willpower, perseverance, and overcoming adversity. A prime example is IT student Bui Thi Ngan, who brilliantly succeeded star Nguyen Thi Oanh in the 1,500m race. And in swimming, Nguyen Thuy Hien continues to excel, despite being only 16 years old.
But it's not just athletics and swimming; as the SEA Games gradually enters its acceleration phase, Vietnam's strong sports are becoming increasingly prominent. A prime example is shooting, a sport consistently considered a "gold mine" for Vietnam in every edition of the Games, even a sport that has propelled Vietnamese athletes to world-class status.
On the opening day of the shooting competition at the SEA Games, shooter Le Thi Mong Tuyen "opened the scoring" with a gold medal in the mixed rifle event - with teammate Nguyen Tam Quang. And in the coming days, shooting promises to be even more explosive as continental champions like Trinh Thu Vinh and Pham Quang Huy compete.
Promises from martial arts
In addition, there are a series of martial arts – which have always been a strength of Vietnamese sports. Today, judo will hold a series of finals in its sparring events, promising a "shower of gold" for Vietnam. At the 2023 SEA Games, Vietnamese judo athletes dominated, winning 8 gold medals out of 13 events.
Besides judo, karate – a sport that brought Vietnam 6 gold medals at the 2023 SEA Games – will also compete in the finals of 4 events today. Alongside them is wushu – a relatively easy start with 2 forms performance events – which has always been a strength of Vietnam.
The most captivating events are in the martial arts arena. While in traditional martial arts, the kata competitions within the "local" framework of the SEA Games are always mired in controversy, in martial arts arena competitions, the contests are usually more engaging and convincing.
At the 32nd SEA Games, Vietnam won 2 gold medals in boxing, 4 gold medals in kickboxing, and 5 gold medals in Khmer kun. Khmer kun is a martial art almost identical to Muay Thai. It's possible that the two martial arts are local versions of each country – Thailand (Muay Thai) and Khmer kun (Cambodia), and fighters from each side can compete in the other's arena.
Two years ago, Cambodia removed Muay Thai from the list and replaced it with Khmer Kun, sparking a fierce controversy that angered the Thais, who withdrew all their Muay Thai athletes from the competition. This increased Vietnam's chances of winning medals. This year, however, the situation is reversed, with Muay Thai making a comeback, promising a significant challenge for Vietnamese fighters.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/mua-vang-dien-kinh-boi-loi-va-hap-dan-cac-mon-vo-20251213100510319.htm
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