Nguyen Xuan Son delivered a heartwarming moment during the 2024 Victory Cup Gala held on the evening of January 10 in Hanoi. The event celebrated Vietnam’s outstanding athletes, coaches, experts, and teams for their achievements in 2024. As the eighth annual Victory Cup, this prestigious gala honors individuals and collectives who excelled in Vietnamese sports.
Despite the Vietnamese national football team’s victory at the 2024 ASEAN Cup being recognized as a 2025 achievement, Xuan Son was featured under the category of “Most Impressive Image of the Year.” The winning image captured Xuan Son’s celebration of his first goal for the national team, taken by photographer Nguyen Quang Minh.
Receiving the award from his hospital bed while recovering from surgery, Xuan Son expressed his gratitude, saying: “Thank you all for your tremendous support. I am deeply grateful. My focus now is on recovering and returning to contribute to Vietnamese football.”
Coach Kim Sang-sik also attended the gala to receive a commemorative plaque in recognition of his contributions to Vietnamese football. He later presented the “Outstanding Foreign Expert” award to his compatriot, Park Chung Gun, a former coach of Vietnam’s national shooting team.
Among other notable winners, sharpshooter Trinh Thu Vinh won the “Female Athlete of the Year” award for her gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team at the Asian Championships and her fourth-place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The “Male Athlete of the Year” award went to cueist Tran Quyet Chien, who won two World Cup titles in 2024 and the world team championship.
Young canoeist Nguyen Thi Huong was named “Young Athlete of the Year” for her remarkable haul of two silver medals at the Asian Championships, three golds at the U23 Asian Championships, and six golds at the Southeast Asian Championships, alongside securing a spot at the Olympics.
The indoor women’s volleyball team clinched the “Team of the Year” award for winning the AVC Challenger Cup, finishing third at the FIVB Challenger Cup, and earning a spot at the 2025 World Championship. The “Best Team Relay” award went to the women’s 4x400m relay team (Quach Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hang, Nguyen Thi Ngoc, and Hoang Thi Minh Hanh) for their gold medal at the Asian Relay Championships.
Paralympic athlete Le Van Cong received the “Outstanding Athlete with Disabilities” award. Canoeing coach Luu Van Hoan was named “Coach of the Year,” and Professor Le Van Lam, a trailblazer in Vietnamese sports science and former rector of Bac Ninh University of Sports, received the “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
The 2024 Victory Cup Gala not only celebrated the nation’s sports achievements but also inspired hope and determination for the future, with moments like Xuan Son’s presence symbolizing resilience and unwavering dedication to Vietnamese sports.
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