Nguyen Thi Huong overcame challenges to win Vietnam's first gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games.

In early 2025, the case of rower Nguyen Thi Huong caused a stir in Vietnamese sports, when the SEA Games hero was owed salary for a long period of time.

Rower Nguyen Thi Huong boasts an impressive record at the SEA Games - Photo courtesy.

In Vietnam's elite sports scene, Nguyen Thi Huong holds a prominent place. This "golden girl" of the rowing discipline won five gold medals in canoeing at the 31st SEA Games held in Vietnam.

At the 32nd SEA Games, host country Cambodia removed canoeing from the list of competitive sports. But Nguyen Thi Huong switched to traditional rowing and won three more gold medals in Cambodia.

It is a symbol of overcoming adversity, something often associated with the girls who row boats year-round, enduring rain and sun, yet always maintaining a steady hand at the oar.

Earlier this year, Nguyen Thi Huong caused a stir when she submitted a request to stop training in Vinh Phuc (formerly) because she had not yet received the nutrition allowance and prize money for the medals she brought home for the province's sports in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

This incident generated a lot of controversy at the time. It ultimately ended with Nguyen Thi Huong joining Hai Phong in March.

But wherever she is, Nguyen Thi Huong remains persistent, resilient, and outstanding. She maintains a consistent performance despite all the ups and downs in her career.

Athlete Nguyen Thi Huong has long been a top-level athlete in the continent - Photo: Bui Luong

Prior to the 33rd SEA Games, Nguyen Thi Huong participated in several important international competitions such as the 2025 Southeast Asian Championships and the 2025 Asian Championships.

The girl from Vinh Phuc province is already very familiar with dominating the regional arena. At the 2025 Asian Championships, Nguyen Thi Huong won two silver medals and one bronze medal – an achievement that shows her level has reached the continental level.

Even earlier, in 2024, Nguyen Thi Huong made history by qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming the first Vietnamese canoeing athlete to participate in the Olympic Games.

It can be said that Nguyen Thi Huong is one of Vietnam's highest-level athletes currently, having won 8 gold medals in just two SEA Games (31 and 32), along with a collection of medals at the Asian Championships.

Nguyen Thi Huong (left) and teammate Diep Thi Huong - Photo: SCREENSHOT

At the 33rd SEA Games, the girl from Vinh Phuc continues to be the top hope, promising to bring home another "shower of gold medals" like at the SEA Games on home soil three years ago.

And indeed, on the first day of competition, Nguyen Thi Huong maintained her form. She and her teammate Diep Thi Huong performed excellently and won the women's 500m doubles event convincingly.

But Nguyen Thi Huong's journey at the 33rd SEA Games doesn't end there. The girl from Vinh Phuc still has a series of individual events to compete in, and promises to become one of the athletes who will win the most gold medals for the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 33rd SEA Games.

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HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguyen-thi-huong-vuot-song-gio-gianh-hcv-dau-tien-cho-viet-nam-tai-sea-games-33-20251210061751071.htm