Illustration: Fighters training at Petchyindee Academy, one of the 5-star Muay Thai training centers in Bangkok.
It is the result of a quiet but drastic transformation process in recent times.
This year's tournament gathered more than 300 coaches, athletes, and referees from 19 countries and territories. With 50 events, the Vietnamese Muay team clearly dominated the strategic weight classes right from the qualifying round, especially in the women's (45kg, 63.5kg) and men's lightweight (54kg, 57kg) categories. Names like Huynh Ha Huu Hieu, Hoang Thi Thu, Duong Duc Bao, and Nguyen Thi Chieu showed clear advantages over fighters from Thailand, Iran, and India.
In the final result, Vietnam not only won more medals than Thailand - the homeland of this martial art (46 compared to 25), but also demonstrated tactical superiority and bravery; many victories were overwhelmingly technical, completely controlling the game from the first bell to the end.
“Compared to previous tournaments, the team’s professional quality has improved significantly. But in the future, we must not be subjective. Opponents like Thailand, Kazakhstan or UAE are still very strong,” said head coach Duong Ngoc Hai.
In the past 5 years, the Muay training system in Vietnam has changed a lot, from selecting and training in youth tournaments, recruiting local talents to key training centers in Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho..., all of which have been carefully reviewed with the goal of "not missing any talent"; the national team has been sent abroad many times to train to compete and learn how to develop a professional Muay system according to international standards; the athletes' nutrition and physical training regimen is supported by experts, with recovery and injury treatment protocols... That combination has created a generation of fighters who are strong in both physical strength and tactical thinking as well as international competition skills.
Meanwhile, in the homeland of Muay Thai, the Thai media did not hide their disappointment when their athletes only won 6 gold medals despite having 10 finalists.
According to the assessment, the Thai team still maintained traditional techniques, but the speed of the match and the total tactics of Vietnam made the Thai boxers passive; besides, there was subjectivity in the face of a strong rising opponent. However, it must also be recognized that the Thai team did not send all of its strongest boxers and did not participate in as many competitions as the host team.
Not resting on its laurels, the Vietnamese team is preparing for the 33rd SEA Games (held in Bangkok at the end of 2025). This is not only a fiercely competitive arena but also a place where Thailand will be determined to reclaim the top spot.
However, Vietnam also has certain confidence when pillars such as Huu Hieu, Hoang Thi Thu, Duong Duc Bao are maintaining their form through tournaments; the next generation from the youth tournament is also oriented and ready to replace.
In addition, the plan to send many athletes to participate in world- class tournaments in China and the UAE shows that Vietnamese Muay is not only winning in Southeast Asia but also reaching the international level.
The achievements at the Asian tournament show that Vietnamese Muay has made strong progress, no longer depending on individual performance, the athletes all compete confidently, not being overwhelmed mentally when facing strong opponents. They are no longer "blockers" but real championship candidates in many competitions - something that even Thailand has acknowledged.
Muay Thai is still the quintessence of the Golden Temple country, but the power of the ring is no longer completely in their hands. From the role of a learner, Vietnam has risen to become the leader not only on the medal table, but also "redrawing" the map of power of Asian Muay and aiming for ASIAD, but first we need to conquer the peaks of SEA Games 33 in Thailand.
Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/muay-viet-nam-khang-dinh-vi-the-moi-20250723085447404.htm
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