Steadfast steps to overcome hurdles towards glory of SEA Games 33

(Dan Tri) - Although the 33rd SEA Games is still more than a month away, Vietnamese track and field athletes are entering the most intense training phase, diligently perfecting each running step with the hope of bringing glory to the Fatherland.

At 7:30 a.m. on October 29, at the training ground of the National High-Level Athlete Training Center (Xuan Phuong Ward, Hanoi ), the "golden girl" of Vietnamese athletics, Huynh Thi My Tien, and her teammates in the hurdles team entered the sprint training phase, diligently aiming for the 33rd SEA Games.

In this training session, in addition to Huynh Thi My Tien, the hurdles team also included Nguyen Thi Nguyen, Nguyen Son and Hoang Thanh Giang (competing in the heptathlon).

Led by veteran coach Nguyen Van Loi, the athletes warmed up thoroughly for 45 to 60 minutes. This was a mandatory step, as the hurdles event required strength, flexibility and absolute balance.

In hurdles, the warm-up always lasts longer than in regular running groups. Athletes must thoroughly warm up the muscles of the hips, thighs, knees and lower back to achieve the best opening and flexibility of the body.

Just one point of tightness or lack of preparation can cause a hurdle run to be off-beat, leading to injury or a complete loss of rhythm on the track.

As the biggest hope of Vietnamese athletics in the hurdles event at the 33rd SEA Games, Huynh Thi My Tien showed clear determination right from the training sessions.

"At this time, we mainly practice increasing speed and endurance. I have just recovered from an injury so my performance is only about 60%. Before that, I had to rest for nearly a month for treatment, my body needs time to regain its rhythm," My Tien shared.

“I have gained more experience in technique and endurance after participating in the world championship in Japan and am continuing to strive to improve myself. My goal at the upcoming SEA Games is to strive to be in the medal group,” My Tien shared modestly.

Talking about her opponents, My Tien admitted that she was most wary of Indonesian athletes, as their achievements were improving very quickly and steadily.

Along with My Tien, Bui Thi Nguyen is highly regarded in the women's hurdles category. She just won the gold medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2025 Hong Kong (China) Athletics Championships.

As the only female athlete competing in the heptathlon, Hoang Thanh Giang temporarily joined the hurdles team to practice her techniques, before moving on to other events.

“Currently, I am in the physical training phase and starting to enter the main exercises with higher intensity to aim for the SEA Games. At the center, my direct coach is not specialized in the heptathlon, so every day I have to move between the professional groups to practice each individual event,” Giang shared.

In addition to the hurdles team, the women's relay team including Nguyen Thi Hang, Nguyen Thi Ngoc, Hoang Thi Minh Hanh and Tuyet Mai are also actively completing professional exercises to prepare for the 33rd SEA Games.

Notably, this group of athletes has just finished a long training trip in France and returned to the Center on October 24. With international experience and a physical foundation strengthened during the training period, the women's relay team is expected to be one of the spearheads of Vietnam's "gold hunting" for athletics at the upcoming SEA Games in Thailand.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/nhung-buoc-chan-vuot-rao-ben-bi-huong-ve-vinh-quang-sea-games-33-20251029205102456.htm