The heartfelt story of a father who once opposed his daughter playing video games.

(NLĐO) - Watching his daughter receive awards repeatedly on stage, Mr. Nguyen Viet Thang understood more about the esports she was pursuing.

Speaking to reporters on December 21st, Mr. Nguyen Viet Thang (from Dong Nai province) happily announced that his daughter, Nguyen Thanh Duyen, was one of the six members of the Vietnamese team that won a gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games in esports .

Mr. Nguyen Viet Thang is proud of his daughter Nguyen Thanh Duyen's remarkable achievements.

His long-standing anxiety was completely replaced by pride when his daughter won all 13 games throughout the tournament. This victory not only brought the first gold medal for Arena of Valor at the SEA Games but also marked a historic milestone as Vietnam reached the pinnacle of this sport on the international stage for the first time.

"Previously, like many other parents, I was very worried when I saw my child spending so much time playing games. Especially in his senior year of high school, my family and I had to put pressure on him to prevent him from neglecting his studies. Only when he announced that he had been accepted into the Ho Chi Minh City University of Banking did the family become more relaxed and open about him playing games," Mr. Thang expressed.

To cheer on his daughter, Mr. Thang and his family bought tickets to Thailand to watch her competitions. The more he watched her compete, the more Mr. Thang understood the difficulty of this sport, which requires both high-level strategy and seamless coordination.

Mr. Thang said: "To be honest, I don't understand much about the rules of this sport. I only see my son's name on the screen and listen to the commentators. When they mention T. Duyen's name with praise for his playing style and position in the team, I feel very proud."

Thanh Duyên (right in the photo) is the youngest member of the 2025 female Arena of Valor Mobile team. Photo: Arena of Valor Pro Player

At the graduation ceremony of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Banking, for the first time, a student received a substantial award while only in her second year. Duyen's total prize value exceeded 130 million VND, including an iPhone 17 Pro Max.

"Despite achieving high results in the tournament, my top priority right now is still my studies. I hope to work in law or economics in the future. For me, the greatest gift after this tournament is the trust and support of my family regarding my passion for gaming," Duyen affirmed.

Duyen said the group started training intensively in June 2025. To avoid affecting their studies, the group usually trains in the evenings, for 3-4 hours. At the tournament, Duyen took on the ADL (ADC - Dragon Lane) position, one of the key positions in the team, playing the role of the team's main damage dealer.

Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Banking inaugurated its Esport Arena training room, demonstrating its interest in and systematic investment in the field of esports.

Arena of Valor is a competitive esports game that has been included in the SEA Games medal program since 2019. Players control characters and cooperate with teammates to destroy the opponent's main base. This sport requires strong individual skills, strategic thinking, and teamwork.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/noi-long-cua-nguoi-cha-tung-phan-doi-con-gai-choi-game-196251221141151132.htm