VIETNAMESE SPORTS AFFIRMS
POSITION AT SEA GAMES 33
The Vietnamese women's team returns to the tournament as the defending champions. (Photo: Minh Chien)
At the send-off ceremony on November 28th, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assigned three important tasks to the Vietnamese sports delegation.
Firstly, each member must compete to the best of their ability, pushing their limits. Secondly, they must compete with a spirit of fair play, respecting their opponents, referees, and spectators. Athletes must showcase the distinctive cultural characteristics of Vietnam, spreading harmony, intelligence, and civility. Thirdly, they must maintain discipline, strictly adhere to the rules of the competition and international regulations, and ensure safety and security.
"I wish the Vietnamese sports delegation a journey filled with high spirits and determination, striving to surpass the set goals, achieving the highest possible position, writing another glorious chapter in history, and bringing pride to the country," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh instructed.
A challenging SEA Games, but one that also promises to provide a boost for Vietnamese sports, is about to begin.
Football
facing challenges
After winning the SEA Games 30 (2019) and SEA Games 31 (2022) championships, the Vietnam U23 team relinquished their Southeast Asian crown when they lost to Indonesia U23 in the semi-finals of SEA Games 32 two years ago. Their 18-match unbeaten streak in men's football ended in Cambodia, where, despite having a numerical advantage, Vietnam U23 suffered a heartbreaking defeat in injury time due to a defensive error.
However, impulsive mistakes are characteristic of youth football. Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia have also made many mistakes in youth tournaments. These are purely scars, serving as a reminder to Vietnamese youth football that the road to success is not paved with roses. Failure in preparation is tantamount to preparing for failure. To achieve glory, the Vietnam U23 team needs careful and thorough preparation.
That's exactly what the Vietnam U23 team has been doing for the past six months. Coach Kim Sang-sik's team is heading towards the SEA Games 33 with a perfect run of matches, winning all three games against Indonesia U23 (1-0), Philippines U23 (2-1), Cambodia U23 (2-1), and Laos U23 (3-0) to defend their Southeast Asian U23 title. In the Asian U23 qualifiers, Vietnam U23 won and kept clean sheets against the youth teams of Singapore, Bangladesh, and Yemen.
The common thread in these victories is that the Vietnam U23 team chose a pragmatic, tenacious style of play, like a "tank." Without flair or excitement, coach Kim Sang-sik's players prioritized defense, playing tightly and disciplined, then gradually exploiting their opponents' mistakes. The image of the solid, tenacious generation of players like Dinh Bac and Hieu Minh is reminiscent of how the Vietnam U23 team won the SEA Games 31 in 2022 with a clean sheet throughout the tournament.
Coach Kim Sang-sik is taking a sensible approach. Without the time for continuous training to develop an attacking philosophy that demands the fluidity and finesse required at the club level, Kim has compromised by prioritizing stability and caution.
The Vietnam U22 team secured their first victory at the SEA Games against Laos on December 3rd. (Photo: Minh Chien)
A winning team is taking shape, and the first fruits of their labor are already appearing. In 5 out of 7 matches before the SEA Games, the Vietnam U23 team kept a clean sheet. Once they take the lead, Coach Kim's team will not let their opponents turn the tables.
The young goalkeepers and central defenders gained confidence with each game and were promoted to the Vietnamese national team for further testing. The U23 Vietnam team's ability to withstand pressure also improved thanks to six valuable friendly matches against U23 China, Uzbekistan, and South Korea. Given that most of Coach Kim's players have only established themselves in the V-League for the past one or two seasons, the experience of competing against strong opponents will sharpen their mental fortitude.
Because at the 33rd SEA Games, the Vietnam U23 team will no longer have the "support" of overage players like in their two previous championships. Having to rely on themselves means the Vietnam U23 team needs to strengthen their competitive spirit. Vietnamese youth football has often "shot itself in the foot" with crucial mistakes. Reinforcing fighting spirit is a difficult problem, but finding a solution is what makes it valuable.
The U23 Vietnam team is aiming for the gold medal. This is a necessary step for Dinh Bac and the younger generation to build confidence and move towards securing a starting position in the Vietnamese national team in the near future.
The Vietnamese women's national team secured a resounding 7-0 victory against Malaysia in their opening match. (Photo: VFF)
The Vietnamese women's national team also aspires to win the championship, but not to reclaim glory, but to defend their title against the rise of Thailand, Myanmar, and the Philippines. Coach Mai Duc Chung's team has won the SEA Games gold medal four times in a row (2017, 2019, 2022, 2023). During this same period, the Vietnamese women's team won the 2019 AFF Cup, finished 5th in the 2022 Asian Cup, and qualified for the 2023 World Cup.
The comprehensive string of achievements from Southeast Asia to Asia is the jewel in the crown of the "diamond girls." However, as the peak generation of the Vietnamese women's national team begins to decline, and the younger generation is just starting out, a generational gap has become apparent in the Vietnamese women's national team.
The defeat against the U23 Australian team (with a very young squad) in the semi-finals of the 2025 AFF Cup served as a wake-up call, demanding that the Vietnamese women's national team play with more than 100% of their ability to withstand the three young and strong opponents, two of whom are in the same group as Myanmar and the Philippines. Whether the experience and composure of Coach Mai Duc Chung's team can overcome the rising tide of regional women's football powerhouses remains to be seen; the SEA Games 33 will be a crucial milestone to answer that question.
Nevertheless, with thorough preparation during their training in Japan, the Vietnamese women's national team (similar to the U23 Vietnamese team) is now ready for the 33rd SEA Games. A major test for Vietnamese football will come, but if it's real gold, then don't be afraid of the fire.
Athletics and swimming are "gold mines".
At the 31st SEA Games held on home soil, Vietnamese athletics achieved resounding success with 22 gold medals, leading the overall medal standings. However, at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, the number of gold medals dropped to 12, ceding the leading position to Thailand.
Twelve gold medals is also the target set by Vietnamese athletics at the 33rd SEA Games. Among the 51 athletes traveling to Thailand, there are still promising talents such as Nguyen Thi Oanh, Quach Thi Lan, Ngan Ngoc Nghia, Hoang Nguyen Thanh, Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc, Nguyen Trung Cuong, Huynh Thi My Tien…
The Vietnamese athletics team is training at the National Sports Training Center in Hanoi . With 47 events to compete in, the coaching staff has prepared an optimal plan to achieve the minimum target of 12 gold medals at this challenging Games, given the impressive lineups of athletes from rivals such as Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore.
At the 32nd SEA Games, Nguyen Thi Oanh performed brilliantly, winning 4 gold medals. Two of these gold medals were won in just 30 minutes in the 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase events – a remarkable feat for athletics. This petite girl with extraordinary willpower became a symbol of overcoming adversity and pushing beyond one's limits, an ideal for Vietnamese sports. For a long time, Vietnamese sports lacked a true icon at the SEA Games or Asian Games. Nguyen Thi Oanh's inspiring story has given athletes in all disciplines (not just athletics) unwavering faith in themselves.
At the 33rd SEA Games, Nguyen Thi Oanh is expected to continue winning gold medals in her strongest events such as the 1,500m, 3,000m steeplechase, 5,000m, and 10,000m. Given that Vietnamese runners are struggling to compete with Thailand in short-distance races (especially with the absence of runner Tran Thi Nhi Yen at the 33rd SEA Games), the long-distance races, requiring endurance and flexibility – a strength of Vietnamese athletes – will be an opportunity for athletics to win at least 12 gold medals.
Compared to athletics, Vietnam's swimming team is aiming for a more modest performance at the Games. The target of 6 gold medals is not ambitious and is considered achievable given that Singapore remains very strong, Thailand is the host country, and other nations are investing heavily.
The Vietnamese swimming team still relies heavily on strong male athletes like Nguyen Huy Hoang, Tran Hung Nguyen, and Pham Thanh Bao. However, the women's competition has also seen the emergence of a new star: the "prodigy" Nguyen Thuy Hien, who is making waves at youth competitions both domestically and in Southeast Asia. The SEA Games 33 will therefore be an opportunity for Vietnamese female athletes to regain some of their former glory after the era of their predecessor, Nguyen Thi Anh Vien.
Shooting
asserting strength
Although football is the most popular sport, the only sport that has ever brought Vietnam to world-class status (considering only Olympic sports) is shooting.
Hoang Xuan Vinh's Rio Olympic Gold Medal (2016) was not only the most glorious achievement of Vietnamese sports but also the result of persistent training and dedication in a sport that demands mental fortitude, courage, and extreme concentration. Following Hoang Xuan Vinh's success, a series of talented shooters are gradually emerging in the spotlight at the Asian and world levels.
Pham Quang Huy won the gold medal at the 19th Asian Games (2022) in the men's 10m air pistol event with the support of Hoang Xuan Vinh as his head coach. Trinh Thu Vinh reached the top 4 in the women's 10m air pistol event at the Paris Olympics (2024), and the medal is not far off. The duo Quang Huy and Thu Vinh also won the Asian Championships in 2024 and 2025 in the 10m mixed pistol event. Meanwhile, in rifle shooting, Le Thi Mong Tuyen qualified for the Paris Olympics at the young age of 21.
With a talented generation of shooters, Vietnamese shooting is heading into the 33rd SEA Games with a target of 7 gold medals. Host country Thailand has omitted some of Vietnam's strong events such as the 50m pistol and men's air rifle mobile.
Pham Quang Huy (Gold Medalist at ASIAD 2022) and Trinh Thu Vinh are key members of the Vietnamese shooting team. (Photo: Minh Chien)
However, this was a challenge that coach Nghiem Viet Hung and his team overcame before their departure. With 29 members (including 22 athletes), and a full complement of key shooters such as Thu Vinh and Quang Huy, Vietnamese shooting is ready to defend its number one position in the region. The pistol team is currently training in South Korea, while the rifle team will train in Thailand before joining the team to begin the tournament.
Besides the four main strengths in football, athletics, swimming, and shooting, Vietnamese sports still have many gold mines in several strong events at the SEA Games such as rowing (target of 8 gold medals), wrestling (6 gold medals), and the martial arts group, which is of particular interest to the host country Thailand.
The overall goal of the Vietnamese delegation is to win 90 to 110 gold medals, securing a position in the Top 3, or even second place, behind host country Thailand. With a strong contingent and high determination, this is an achievable goal for Vietnamese sports.
Publication date: December 9, 2025
Production organizer: HOANG NHAT
Content: HONG NAM - MINH CHIEN
Presented by: QUANG MINH
Nhandan.vn
Source: https://nhandan.vn/special/the-thao-vietnam-sea-games-33/index.html
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