Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam enjoyed one of its most explosive competition days at the 33rd SEA Games on December 17, winning a remarkable 16 gold medals across multiple sports, closing in on Indonesia in the medal table and reinforcing its position among the leading delegations.
On the eighth competition day, Vietnam began strongly in rowing with three golds. Young rower Ho Thi Duy triumphed in the women’s lightweight single sculls, while Hoang Van Dat–Nguyen Phu and the quartet of Bui Thi Thu Hien, Nguyen Thi Giang, Dinh Thi Hao and Pham Thi Hue topped the men’s double and women’s four events.
In shooting, Trinh Thu Vinh remained the standout performer, winning gold in the women’s 25m pistol individual event to bring her 33rd SEA Games tally to four gold medals, including record-breaking performances. Earlier, she teamed up with Nguyen Thuy Dung and Nguyen Thuy Trang to secure gold in the women’s team event, underlining Vietnam’s dominance in the sport.
Wrestling delivered a dramatic highlight on the afternoon of December 17, as Vietnamese wrestlers claimed three gold medals in quick succession. Nguyen Cong Manh (77kg) set the tone, followed by Nghiem Dinh Hieu (87kg) and Nguyen Minh Hieu (97kg), completing an impressive gold “hat-trick”.
Pencak Silat contributed two golds through Nguyen Tan Sang and Nguyen Duy Tuyen, with Duy Tuyen successfully defending his 90kg title in commanding fashion. In Muay Thai, Nguyen Thi Phuong Hau (60kg) and Nguyen Thi Chieu (57kg) both defeated Thai opponents to take gold.
Vietnamese fencing also enjoyed a perfect day, winning two golds thanks to Nguyen Phuoc Den (men’s epee individual) and Nguyen Xuan Loi (men’s sabre individual), reaffirming regional supremacy. In weightlifting, Tran Dinh Thang clinched gold in the men’s over 89kg category with a dramatic total lift of 366kg, edging a Thai rival.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s women’s handball team defeated Thailand convincingly in the final to claim gold, while the men’s team earned silver after a tense match against the same opponent.
A note of regret came from women’s football, where Vietnam fought bravely but failed to defend their title after a penalty shoot-out, having been denied a legitimate goal during regulation time due to an incorrect offside call. Despite losing to the physically strong Philippines, the team’s silver medal reflected resilience, depth and fighting spirit./.
Vietnam strike gold across sports at 33rd SEA Games
December 17 marked one of Vietnam’s most successful days at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, with the country's athletes claiming gold medals in several of their traditional strengths, including rowing, shooting, and pencak silat.
