Bangkok, 11 December 2025 – After securing four gold medals on the opening day, Vietnam enters 11 December with strong hopes in athletics, swimming, gymnastics and karate as the delegation aims to surpass Singapore and Indonesia in the medal table.
The second official competition day of SEA Games 33 promises to be an intense medal hunt for Vietnam, as the national delegation seeks to strengthen its position after finishing the opening day with four gold, four silver and sixteen bronze medals. Vietnam is temporarily ranked fourth behind Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, but the gap with the two teams immediately above remains within reach. A strong performance today could significantly change the standings.
Athletics will be one of Vietnam’s biggest sources of expectation, with finals beginning at 16:50. In the women’s 1,500m, Nguyen Khanh Linh and Bui Thi Ngan are considered strong medal contenders. On the men’s side, Luong Duc Phuoc and Sam Van Doi will compete in the 1,500m final with ambitions of topping the podium. The men’s triple jump, featuring Tran Van Dien and Ho Trong Manh Hung, is also among the events where Vietnam holds realistic gold-medal hopes. Meanwhile, sprinter Ngan Ngoc Nghia (100m men) and Hoang Du Y – Ha Thi Thu (100m women) will compete in the qualifiers. Notably, defending women’s 1,500m champion Nguyen Thi Oanh will not defend her title this year as she focuses on the 3,000m steeplechase, 5,000m and 10,000m.
Swimming also begins early, with heats in the morning and finals scheduled from 18:00. The spotlight will be on breaststroke specialist Pham Thanh Bao, one of Vietnam’s strongest gold-medal prospects in the 100m breaststroke. Other Vietnamese swimmers today include Truong Vinh Trinh (50m backstroke), Luong Jeremie Loic Nimo (50m freestyle), Nguyen Kha Nhi (200m freestyle), Vo Thi My Tien and Nguyen Ngoc Tuyet Han (200m individual medley), and the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team.
Artistic gymnastics will award medals from 14:30. Vietnam has four finalists: Dang Ngoc Xuan Thien (pommel horse), Nguyen Van Khanh Phong (rings), Tran Doan Quynh Nam (uneven bars) and Nguyen Thi Quynh Nhu (vault). Among them, Xuan Thien and Khanh Phong are highly anticipated to challenge for gold thanks to their recent strong form and technical consistency.
Karate will stage both the morning qualifiers (11:00) and the afternoon finals (15:00) in the men’s and women’s team kata events. On the women’s side, Nguyen Thi Phuong, Nguyen Ngoc Tram, Bui Ngoc Nhi and Hoang Thi Thu Uyen are considered strong contenders for the top podium. The men’s team—represented by Giang Viet Anh, Pham Minh Duc, Le Hong Phuc and Pham Minh Quan—also enters the competition with ambitions of reaching the final and securing gold.
Jujitsu continues from 9:00, with Vietnam looking to enter multiple finals. In the men’s 69kg category, Dang Dinh Tung and Pham Tri Dung will vie for medals, while Nguyen Tien Trien and Pham Le Hoang Linh compete at 85kg. In the women’s division, Pham Thi Thu Ha (48kg) and Tran Hong An (57kg) are Vietnam’s main medal hopes. The team will also participate in the mixed and gendered duo events featuring pairs Tran Huu Tuan – Nguyen Thanh Tra, Sai Cong Nguyen – Nguyen Anh Tung, and Phung Thi Hong Ngoc – Nguyen Ngoc Bich.
Rowing enters a busy day with heats from 9:00 and finals from 15:00. Vietnam will compete in several events, including the men’s K2 200m (Huynh Cao Minh – Nguyen Minh Tuan), men’s C2 200m (Pham Hong Quan – Duong Anh Duc), and the mixed K2 200m (Vo Duy Thanh – Do Thi Thanh Thao).
With multiple medal opportunities across high-potential sports, Vietnam aims to turn 11 December into a breakthrough day. Success in athletics, swimming, gymnastics and karate could be decisive in lifting the delegation closer to its target of finishing inside the top three at SEA Games 33.
Thanh Trang
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