ASEANEWS HEADLINE-SPORTS | BANGKOK: 33rd SEA Games Thailand 2025- Let the Games begin
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It’s time to show talent on SEA Games stage
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Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính waves the national flag during the send-off ceremony for the Vietnamese sports contingent to the 33rd SEA Games. VNS Photo Quý Lượng
SEA Games
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All roads lead to Bangkok this December as the Kingdom of Thailand is set to host the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, the biennial sports festival that features the strongest sportspeople in the region.
Vietnamese athletes who successfully dominated the two previous editions are ready to shine and prove their talent from December 9-20, targeting as many as 110 gold medals and a place in the top three as usual.
As one of the leading countries in the ASEAN, Việt Nam will send a 1,165-strong contingent, including over 840 athletes to compete in 47 out of 66 sports.
In preparation for the event, all athletes, coaches, officials and staff have been asked to not only train hard but also compete with concentration to achieve the target.
“National coaches scouted their best and most promising athletes from national championships for the SEA Games campaign. Many foreign experts came to Việt Nam to improve the Vietnamese teams’ quality,” said the Vietnamese sports delegation’s chef-de-mission Nguyễn Hồng Minh.
Intensive training courses were organised, in which athletes focused on increasing both physical strength and technique. They also took part in various international competitions to sharpen their skills and update world trends.
“The application of sports science such as technical analysis, biomedicine, nutrition and injury recovery has been enhanced and deployed synchronously, contributing to improving the quality of the entire team,” Minh added.
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| The Vietnamese sports delegation’s chef-de-mission Nguyễn Hồng Minh said his athletes are ready for the SEA Games.VNS Photo Quý Lượng |
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Rising challenges
Two years ago, Việt Nam topped the 32nd Games’ medal tally, pocketing 136 golds. It was the first time that the delegation took the top spot in an event that wasn’t organised on home ground.
Previously, Việt Nam also swept the arena with 205 golds at the 31st Games in Hà Nội, the best achievement in history.
Việt Nam’s target of 90-110 golds is less than what was achieved in the last two Games. Minh explained that this was based on analysis of Việt Nam’s strengths and regional correlations.
Many of his squads are undergoing a rejuvenation process: senior players are absent while young players still need more time to take the heavy duties.
At the same time, many strong sports or events for Việt Nam are not included in the competition lists this time. That also reduces the number of potential titles.
Meanwhile, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have grown strongly in recent years, creating more pressure for Việt Nam.
Director of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam (SAV) Nguyễn Danh Hoàng Việt agreed with Minh.
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“The 33rd SEA Games is a major sporting event, where the Vietnamese sports delegation carries the expectations of millions of fans. Besides the goal of achieving high results, this is also an opportunity for the country’s sports sector to affirm its mettle, solidarity, will to rise and the beautiful image of Việt Nam in the international arena.”
No tournament is without pressure, he added, saying coaches and athletes must make efforts from domestic to international tournaments because each has its own important task.
“Further, our achievements at the SEA Games must be associated with the long-term development strategy of national sports. The entire delegation not only focuses on the number of SEA Games medals but also works on improving their competitive capacity in sports held in the Asian Games and Olympics,” Việt said.
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| PM Phạm Minh Chính asks athletes to compete with their highest spirit and ability to bring home victories. VNS Photo Quý Lượng |
A nation’s encouragement
Speaking to athletes in the delegation’s send-off ceremony last week, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính encouraged all delegation members.
“I hope that every Vietnamese athlete will carry the will in their head, the fire in their heart, and the inner strength to overcome their own limits, and demonstrate the Vietnamese spirit during competition.
“The Vietnamese Sports Delegation must always be steadfast in its target, strive to achieve the highest results, and carry on the great mission of solidarity and sharing in the ASEAN community. They should compete with the noble spirit of sportsmanship, honesty and bravery for the pride of the nation and bring home glorious victory,” said the Prime Minister.
Several Vietnamese squads arrived in Thailand last week as their first matches of the 33rd SEA Games kicked off on December 3.
The majority of the contingent will land on December 7 and will have two days to prepare for their best performances in the region.
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Golden star hopes
Việt Nam’s medal hopes are on athletics, swimming, martial arts, shooting, and archery.
The track-and-field team plan to take up to 14 gold medals at this Games to take their No 1 position back after losing it to Thailand in Cambodia.
Multi-time champion Nguyễn Thị Oanh will be the spearhead and she also sets her own target of winning gold medals in five SEA Games in a row, which is also a record for Việt Nam.
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| Nguyễn Thị Oanh (left) aims to set a record by winning gold in five successive editions of the SEA Games. VNS Photo Quý Lượng |
The 30-year-old runner has pocketed 12 golds in the last four Games. She won four in just two days, including a double within 30 minutes. Oanh is also the record holder in the 3,000m steeplechase.
“In every tournament, there will always be opponents whom you have to compete with and must work harder to overcome. Any subjectivity and complacency will come with a price,” said Oanh.
“In the upcoming 33rd SEA Games, I will always remind myself to stay focused, try harder and work harder so that I can complete the set goals. I also hope to win the gold medal this time, to bring gold home and achieve the fifth golden Games title consecutively.”
Closely supervising his athlete in training and competition, head coach Nguyễn Mạnh Hiếu said Oanh was fully capable of defending all four titles thanks to her outstanding performance and experience from international competitions.
Other golden hopes are Quách Thị Lan in women’s 400m and 400m hurdles, Nguyễn Trung Cường in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, Hoàng Nguyên Thanh in the men’s marathon, Nguyễn Thị Thanh Phúc and Nguyễn Thành Ngưng in the women’s and men’s race walk, and Huỳnh Thị Mỹ Tiên in the women’s 100m hurdles and relay events.
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While Oanh is queen on the track, Nguyễn Huy Hoàng is the king in the water.
He has earned 11 golds in four SEA Games with a remarkable hat-trick in the men’s 400m and 1,500m freestyle and 4×200m freestyle relay events at the last Games.
In Thailand, he is expected to defend his titles and add one more in the 10km event after his triumph at the Southeast Asian championships in September.
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| Nguyễn Huy Hoàng has been carefully preparing for his SEA Games campaign. VNS Photo Hoàng Linh |
“I want to keep my mind as comfortable as possible during the SEA Games. If I only focus on the results, I can unconsciously create invisible barriers for myself. It was a big lesson I learnt in Cambodia,” Hoàng said.
“I am 25 this year. Getting older and competing in swimming, the sport that requires physique and speed, I need to prepare more carefully. But as long as I am still strong, I will keep swimming.”
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‘More difficult than ever’
According to the coaching board, Hoàng maintains stable performance and good physical condition and is ready for the competitions.
The swimming team could have golds from Phạm Thanh Bảo in breaststroke events and Trần Hưng Nguyên in the individual medley.
Phạm Quang Huy and Trịnh Thu Vinh are hopes for Việt Nam in shooting. Huy is Asian Games defending champion in the 10m air pistol while Vinh is a Paris Olympics top-four finisher in the same event.
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| Marksman Phạm Quang Huy believes in his chance to win a gold medal. VNS Photo Hoài Việt |
The duo recently won gold in the 10m mixed pair event at the Asian Cup 2025.
“I am confident in my performance at the upcoming Games. I have set myself the goal of taking the highest result. A gold medal remains a really tough goal but I will seize the opportunity when it comes to me,” Huy said.
Martial arts are also strong points of Việt Nam, winning many gold medals in every Games.
Fighters and performers from wushu such as Dương Thúy Vi, karate such as Hoàng Thị Mỹ Tâm, Muay Thai such as Huỳnh Hà Hữu Hiếu and those from karate, taekwondo, pencak silat, and wrestling are expected to be champions.
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| Huỳnh Hà Hữu Hiếu will defend her title in the Muay Thai 45kg category. VNS Photo Lê Giang
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“The 33rd SEA Games will be more difficult than ever because Muay Thai is Thailand’s national martial art. The host has set high determination and good preparation to dominate this martial art,” said Từ Thị Lê Na, head of Pencak Silat and Muay Department at the SAV.
“However, difficulties do not mean they cannot be overcome. The greater the difficulty, the greater the team’s determination is to fulfil the task at this SEA Games.” VNS
Thanh Hà
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