Vietnam advanced to the women’s football final at SEA Games 31 after securing a 1 - 0 win over Myanmar in the semifinal at Cam Pha Stadium in Quang Ninh province on May 18 evening.

As soon as the match started, Vietnamese players launched continual attacks, but Myanmar managed to deal with those offences.

The game’s turning point occurred in the 28th minute, when captain Huynh Nhu of Vietnam scored a header goal after receiving the ball passed in the air from Tuyet Dung. Goalkeeper May Zin New of Myanmar touched the ball but still failed to make a save.

In the second half, though Myanmar also launched many attacks to seek a leveling goal, the goal of Vietnam stayed safe thanks to the outstanding performance of keeper Kim Thanh.

The Vietnamese players had several chances to raise the score after that but missed.

The game ended with a 1 - 0 win for Vietnam.

Vietnam will face Thailand, who beat the Philippines 3 - 0 in the other semifinal, in the final slated for 7pm on May 21 at the Cam Pha Stadium. The bronze-medal match will take place at 4pm the same day.

SEA Games 31: Thailand wins gold medal in women's team badminton

Thailand’s badminton players grabbed a gold medal after defeating their Indonesian rivals in the final of the women’s team event at SEA Games 31 held at Bac Giang Gymnasium on May 18.

In the first match of the women’s singles, Pornpawee Chuchuwong of Thailand quickly defeated her Indonesian rival, Putri Kusuma Wardani, in the first two sets with scores of 21-16, 21-20, respectively.

In the second match of the women’s doubles, Thai players Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai obtained a win over Indonesian opponents Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhantiin righ the first two sets with scores of 21-16 and 21-12.

Supanida Katethong of Thailand also easily beat Indonesian player Stephanie Widjaja in the first two sets of the third match of the women’s singles.

With the 3-0 victory over Indonesia, the Thai players stood on the top podium in the women's team badminton category.
 
The silver went to the Indonesian team, while Vietnam and Singapore shared the bronze.

SEA Games 31: Two more gold medals for Vietnamese taekwondo team

Vietnamese taekwondo team brought home two more gold medals in their third competition day at the ongoing 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) on May 18.

The first gold medal was won by Tran Thi Anh Tuyet in the women’s under 53kg category, the second by Nguyen Thi Huong in the under 73kg categogy.

Meanwhile, Pham Ngoc Cham missed the gold medal in the women’s 57kg as she failed to overcome the strong Thai rival Phananapa Harnsujin in the final match.

In the men’s under 63kg event, Ngo Quang Tien only won a silver medal after losing to Indonesian competitor Muhammad Raihan Bassam 3-14.

In the men’s 74kg event, Le Minh Vuong and Indonesia's Osanando Khairudin Naufal  shared the bronze medal.

Competition of this sport will be held for the last day on May 19 at Tay Ho Gymnasium in Hanoi./.

SEA Games 31: Lo Thi Hoang breaks record in javelin to win gold

Vietnam's track and field athlete Lo Thi Hoang broke the SEA Games record in the women's javelin throw of 56.37m and won the gold medal at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) on May 18.

The record of 55.97m set by Thai athlete Buoban Pamang at the 24th SEA Games in 2007 in Thailand was unbeatable for 15 years.

Hoang is one of the four athletes from ethnic minority groups in northern Son La province at SEA Games 31.

In the previous SEA Games, she only won a silver medal in women's javelin throw with 55.77m.

As of May 18, Vietnamese track and field athletes brought home 17 gold medals, completing the team’s target at SEA Games 31./.

SEA Games 31: Indonesia dominate single-string archery

Indonesian athletes have asserted their dominance over single-string archery at the ongoing SEA Games 31 by winning four of the five gold medals in this category. 

On May 18 afternoon, Rezza Octavia and Riau Ega Agata Salsabilla of Indonesia grabbed the gold in the mixed doubles event.

The silver went to Syaqiera Mashayikh and Khairul Anuar Mohamad of Malaysia and the bronze to Do Thi Anh Nguyet and Nong Van Linh of Vietnam.

In the men’s individual single-string bow event, Arif Pangestu Dwi and Riau Ega Agata Salsabilla of Indonesia respectively obtained gold and silver medals. Khairul Anuar Mohamad of Malaysia pocketed the bronze medal.

The gold once again belonged to an Indonesian archer, Rezza Octavia, in the women’s individual single-string bow event while Narisara Khunhiranchaiyo of Thailand earned a silver and Syaqiera Mashayikh of Malaysia a bronze.

Earlier the same day, Indonesia also brought home a gold medal in the men’s team single-string bow event.

The Philippines won the remaining single-string archery gold, in the women’s team event.

On May 19 morning, Nguyen Thi Hai Chau, Le Phuong Thao, and Le Pham Ngoc Anh of Vietnam secured a silver in the team three-string bow event for women, following Thai rivals.

By the end of May 19 morning, Vietnamese archers won three silvers and one bronze at SEA Games 31./.

Marathoner wins historic gold for Vietnam at SEA Games 31

Hoang Nguyen Thanh has gone down into history as the first ever gold medallist of Vietnam in the men’s marathon at SEA Games.

During the event began in early May 19 morning near Hanoi-based My Dinh National Stadium, Thanh faced fierce competition from defending champion Agus Prayogo of Indonesia and Tony Ah-Thit Payne of Thailand.

He reached the finish line first after 2:25:08, faster than the second-placed Prayogo by 30 seconds.

In addition, he set a new personal record as his previous one was 2:26:56.

The 27-year-old runner from the southern province of Binh Phuoc quenched Vietnam’s thirst for medals in the men’s marathon for more than six decades.

Previously, Pham Thi Binh clinched a gold medal in the women’s marathon for Vietnam at SEA Games 28 in 2013.

Speaking to reporters after the competition, Thanh said he was proud but hardly believed that he could win. In the last kilometres, he told himself to do his utmost until the end with cheering from local supporters.

Also on May 19 morning, Vietnam bagged two more golds in the men’s and women’s 20km walk by Vo Xuan Vinh and Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc, respectively.

Nguyen Thanh Ngung clinched a bronze in the men’s 20km walk.

With three golds and one bronze on the last competition day of athletics, the Vietnamese delegation packed a total of 22 gold, 14 silver and seven bronze medals in the sport, surpassing its set target of 15-17 golds at SEA Games 31.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, is being held in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities until May 23.

It features 40 sports with 523 events, attracting around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic./.

Vietnamese language included in Korean school’s career counseling for students

The Vietnamese language has since 2019 been taught at the Myeonmok High School in the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Seoul capital, making this the first non-specialised school in the RoK to teach the language to high school students.

Principal Song Hyun-seop said Vietnamese has been included in the school’s curriculum as a second foreign language since April 2019.

Explaining this decision, he said Vietnam and the RoK enjoy many historical and cultural similarities, noting that the Ly clan from the Southeast Asian nation came to his country very early, forming the first foundation for bilateral connectivity.

Over the last 30 years, Korean enterprises have poured huge investment into Vietnam, which has created a large Korean community in Vietnam. In return, there are also many Vietnamese people in the RoK.

Therefore, the Vietnamese language skills have become highly useful, and including it in career counselling for high school students is of great necessity for them to gain momentum for learning and future development, Song noted.

With the employment of two Vietnamese-language teachers who have high capacity and deep understanding of the Korean culture, Myeonmok has held weekly meetings with all of its teachers to improve their knowledge of Vietnam and help students shape their vision.

Through these events, teachers have become more familiar with the language while more students have chosen to learn Vietnamese and paid attention to the country, according to the principal./.

Vietnamese swimming team exceeds gold medal target at SEA Games 31

Vietnam’s national swimming team surpassed the gold medal target set for the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) after winning two more gold medals on May 18.

Ben Tre-born swimmer Pham Thanh Bao opened an impressive competition day of Vietnamese athletes with his an ecstatic performance in the men's 50m breaststroke event. The 21-year-old swimmer won a gold medal with a time of 28.28 seconds, beating strong rivals from Indonesia and Singapore. It was also his second gold at this year’s Games.

Meanwhile, Tran Hung Nguyen pocketed a gold medal after his surprising performance in the men’s 200m medley event with a time of 2 minutes and 1.22 seconds. The 19-year-old swimmer competed with their strong rivals Kaewsriyoung Dulyawat of Thailand and Maximillian Wei Ang of Singapore in this event.

The silver and bronze medalists in the day were Vo Thi My Tien and Hoang Quy Phuoc, respectively, who competed in the women’s 1,500m freestyle and the men’s 200m freestyle events.

Closing the 5th day of competition, the Vietnamese swimming team pocketed a total of nine gold medals, 10 silvers and two bronzes, officially exceeding the set target of 8 gold medals.

Dinh Viet Hung, Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Vietnam Aquatic Sports Association (VASA) attributed the results to great efforts of the swimmers in training and competition.

The swimmers who are expected to win gold medals have completed their task, he said.

However, he noted that the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years has had hindered swimmers from improving their performance.

As scheduled, swimming events will run to May 19. The team is pinning hope on Nguyen Huy Hoang in the men’s 800m freestyle event, which is firstly included in SEA Games 31.

Thirty two Vietnamese swimmers have been competing at SEA Games 31.

Nine members of the team, including gold medal hopeful Nguyen Huy Hoang, were trained in Hungary before the regional sports event.

Swimming events are running from May 14 to 19 at the My Dinh Water Sports Stadium in Hanoi.

The entire team is determining to defend Vietnam's second place in the swimming tally.

In the past three editions of the Games in 2015, 2017 and 2019, Vietnam was ranked second in swimming, with most of the gold medals brought by Anh Vien.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, is being held in Hanoi and 11 nearby localities namely Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, Hoa Binh, Hai Phong, Phu Tho, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, and Vinh Phuc.

It features 40 sports with 523 events. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam is aiming for 140 gold, 77 silver and 71 bronze medals at the regional sporting event.

Vietnam had claimed 125 gold, 76 silver and 74 bronze medals as of May 18 evening, the sixth official competition day of the ongoing SEA Games 31, retaining the top position in the medal table./.

SEA Games 31: Vietnamese weightlifters target two golds

Vietnamese weightlifters expect to pocket only two gold medals at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) due to the absence of some athletes.

Lifters Thach Kim Tuan and Vuong Thi Huyen have not joined the sport that is taking place in Hanoi from May 19-22. Meanwhile, Hoang Thi Duyen has been suffering an injury.

Fourteen host athletes will compete in all of the 14 categories for both men and women.

This year sees the participation of SEA Games medalists like Lai Gia Thanh in the men’s 55kg category and Pham Thi Hong Thanh in the women’s 64kg.

In SEA Games 30 in the Philippines, all the 10 Vietnamese lifters brought home four golds, five silvers and one bronze./.

Regional fans impressed with Vietnamese, Timor Leste runners’ celebration at SEA Games 31

Sport fans across Southeast Asia have been impressed with images of two runners of the host Vietnam celebrating victory with their Timor Leste rival Felisberto De Deus at SEA Games 31.

De Deus bagged two silvers in the men’s 5,000m and 10,000m events at the ongoing Games.

ASEAN Football page recently published photos of the event, stating that after the men’s 10,000m competition, he held hands and ran together to celebrate with two Vietnamese runners Nguyen Van Lai and Le Van Thao, who won the gold and bronze medals, respectively.

In the comment section, Facebook user Gilmaro Sfx wrote: “Love Vietnam! Much love from Timor-Leste.”

Another user said: “He looks very happy. Maybe this will be a memorable memory for him. Congrats.”

For some people, this is the best moment of SEA Games 31 and reflects true sportsmanship.

Many are in awe that during his celebration, the 23-year-old waved a small Vietnamese flag while wrapping himself with his homeland’s flag.

De Deus expressed his happiness at the cheers from Vietnamese fans, as well as good wishes from local residents during his stay in Vietnam.

He said the cheers and the fair-minded spirit of the Vietnamese supporters pushed him in the men’s 10,000 event.

The athlete said he hopes that sport, particularly athletics, will help to promote the country and people of Timor Leste.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, is being held in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities until May 23.

It features 40 sports with 523 events, attracting around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic./.

SEA Games 31: Track and field athletes win additional two gold medals for Vietnam

Female Vietnamese runners fetched two more gold medals at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) on May 18.

Runner Pham Thi Hong Le, a national record holder, secured a gold for Vietnam after surpassing her teammate Lo Thi Thanh and other five rivals from Singapore, Myanmar and Timor Leste. Thanh clinched a bronze.

Le finished a 10,000m event with a time of 35:36:38 minutes.

The Vietnamese team comprising Hoang Thi Ngoc, Quach Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hang and Nguyen Thi Huyen won a gold medal in 4x400m women's relay. They finished in 3:37:99 minutes to top the event.

The silver and bronze medals went to the Philippine and Thai teams with 3:42:90 and 3:43:26 minutes, respectively.

The Vietnamese team also won a bronze in 4x400m men’s relay.

Track and field competitions at the Games take place at My Dinh National Stadium from May 14 to 19, with 47 sets of medals.

With the two gold medals secured on May 18, the Vietnamese track and field team has obtained 19 golds in total, exceeding the target set forth for the Games.

The team set a goal of winning 15-17 gold medals and retaining the top position at this year’s tournament.

At the 30th SEA Games in the Philippines in 2019, the team collected 16 golds, 12 silvers and 10 bronzes, taking the top position. It was followed by Thailand (12 golds) and the Philippines (11 golds)./.

SEA Games 31: Track and field athletes win additional two gold medals for Vietnam

Female Vietnamese runners fetched two more gold medals at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) on May 18.

Runner Pham Thi Hong Le, a national record holder, secured a gold for Vietnam after surpassing her teammate Lo Thi Thanh and other five rivals from Singapore, Myanmar and Timor Leste. Thanh clinched a bronze.

Le finished a 10,000m event with a time of 35:36:38 minutes.

The Vietnamese team comprising Hoang Thi Ngoc, Quach Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Hang and Nguyen Thi Huyen won a gold medal in 4x400m women's relay. They finished in 3:37:99 minutes to top the event.

The silver and bronze medals went to the Philippine and Thai teams with 3:42:90 and 3:43:26 minutes, respectively.

The Vietnamese team also won a bronze in 4x400m men’s relay.

Track and field competitions at the Games take place at My Dinh National Stadium from May 14 to 19, with 47 sets of medals.

With the two gold medals secured on May 18, the Vietnamese track and field team has obtained 19 golds in total, exceeding the target set forth for the Games.

The team set a goal of winning 15-17 gold medals and retaining the top position at this year’s tournament.

At the 30th SEA Games in the Philippines in 2019, the team collected 16 golds, 12 silvers and 10 bronzes, taking the top position. It was followed by Thailand (12 golds) and the Philippines (11 golds)./.

Philippine team leader gives thumbs-up to Vietnam as SEA Games host

The Philippine national team chef de mission Ramon Fernandez has given Vietnam a thumbs-up as the host of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), saying the host has been “warm, hospitable” and running a tight ship.

"The accommodations of our athletes, coaches and other staff of the Philippine team are comfortable. We have been treated well. There have been no major complaints,” Fernandez told Philippine News Agency reporters.

He said that the problem he has heard so far was the transport from the hotels of the participants to the training and competition venues, which was understandable since Vietnam, like the rest of the region, was still coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The organisers have been apologetic about this issue and have addressed our concerns as soon as they can whenever the transport problems crop up,” Fernandez, also a commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission, noted.

Overall, he said, the national team is satisfied by the treatment of the Vietnamese hosts and give them the thumbs-up.

Fernandez revealed that national team morale remains high after visiting most of the country’s campaigners in the Vietnamese capital and surrounding areas, a testament to their resiliency despite the many challenges they faced in gearing for the regional sports showcase.

He cited the example of track-and-field athlete Clinton Kingsley Bautista, who bucked a serious shin injury barely a month before the regional meet to recover in time in retaining the men’s 400-meter hurdles title with a record-breaking run at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi earlier this week./.

SEA Games 31: Vietnamese judokas win two gold medals in first competition day

The Vietnamese judo team had a good start at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) on May 18 with two gold, one silver and one bronze medals in the men’s Kodokan Goshin Jutsu and women’s Katame No Kata events.

In the men’s Kodokan Goshin Jutsu, the couple of Tran Quoc Cuong-Phan Minh Hanh pocketed a gold medal with 550.5 points, while another couple of Nguyen Cuong Thinh-Ha Minh Duc came second with 534 points and won a silver medal.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Tuong Vy-Mai Thi Bich Tram bagged a gold medal in women’s Katame No Kata event with 402.5 points.

Fighter Nguyen Thuy Hai Chau injured her leg, which affected her performance with teammate Tran Le Phuong Nga and they only won a bronze medal.

SEA Games 31’s judo comprises 13 events, including 10 for individuals, one for teams and two kata events.

Competitions will continue on May 19.
 
At the SEA Games 30, Vietnamese judo team brought home two gold medals./.

SEA Games 31: Vietnam’s cyclists secure gold, silver in road competitions

Vietnam pocketed a gold and a silver in road cycling events at SEA Games 31 in Hoa Binh province on May 19.

The men’s and women’s road cycling races attracted the participation of 43 athletes from eight countries, namely Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

Twenty-one cyclists took part in the men’s event with a distance of 44km.

The gold medal went to Quang Van Cuong of Vietnam, the silver to Sirironnachai Sarawut of Thailand, and the bronze to Yeo Boon Kiak of Singapore.

The women’s event saw the competition on a 29.6km distance by 19 cyclists from seven countries, excluding Cambodia.

Maneephan Jutatip of Thailand crossed the finish line first to bring home a gold medal. Nguyen Thi That of Vietnam followed to earn a silver and Mohamad Zubir Nur Aisyah of Malaysia a bronze medal./.

Volunteers do best to impress SEA Games 31 guests

About 3,000 volunteers have been deployed for the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) now underway in Hanoi and 11 northern cities and provinces. They are seen everywhere from hotels where athletes and coaches are staying to competition venues, helping make a successful regional meet.

Among them, most of who were recruited from major universities, about 1,900 are working in Hanoi while the remainders are sent to neighbouring localities, according to Nguyen Hai Duong, vice head of the organising sub-committee for reception and ceremony.

To be qualified, they must be proficient in English and in good health, and have high sense of responsibility, Duong said.

They are mainly responsible for providing assistance to foreign national teams and high-profile guests, directing spectators to seating at competition venues, hosting medal award ceremonies, and interpreting at press conferences, among others.

Nguyen Tat Thanh, a third-year student from Hanoi University, is among volunteers working tirelessly at Thanh Tri Gymnasium where basketball competitions are being held from May 13 – 22.

Expressing his pride and honour to be a SEA Games 31 volunteer, Thanh said it offers him an opportunity to interact with foreign friends and play a part in the meaningful event.

His job is to guide the Philippine basketball team around. He must make sure the players are picked up from their hotel to travel to training and competition venues on time.

“Tired, yet I’m very happy to help international athletes and coaches coming to my hometown,” he said.

Luong Trung Hieu, another volunteer at the same gymnasium, said he hopes to gain experience through getting to know international guests.

Working as an interpreter for Malaysia’s basketball team, Hieu also described his job as a cultural and tourism ambassador who brings foreign athletes and fans closer to Vietnam’s culture, friendly people, beautiful landscapes and great cuisine.

To prepare himself for the regional event, Hieu said he had saved some money to buy English books on basketball so as to enrich his vocabulary about the sport.

Any day the Malaysian basketballers compete, he has to get up at 5:00am to pick them up at the hotel and remains at the competition venue until late to support the team.

During his first few days, he was quite nervous of making mistakes that would possibly affect the event in a bad way. But thanks to encouragement from organisers and friends, he has constantly gained confidence and fulfilled his work quite well.

“It is truly an exciting and brand-new experience for me,” Hieu said.

Pham Minh Thu, a University of Finance student, has been volunteering at Bac Tu Liem Sports Centre where pencak silat competitions are hosted. The good-looking girl has been tasked to assist the medal award ceremonies. Like Hieu, she felt quite nervous at first.

“It was very solemn when national anthems are played and national flags raised,” she said, “so I told myself to stay calm and do the best I can, not to make any mistakes.”

Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa, Director of Thanh Tri Gymnasium, expressed her satisfaction about the student volunteers, saying young as they are, the volunteers' English command is fairly good, adding they have fulfilled their tasks, contributing to the success of each competition.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, are underway in Vietnam from May 12 – 23 in 12 cities and provinces. The regional biennial event welcomes almost 10,000 coaches, officials, and athletes who are competing in 40 sports./.

SEA Games 31: Vietnam grabs two gold medals in Karate

Vietnamese karatekas on May 18 brought home two gold medals in the women’s kata and kumite categories on the first day of competition at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31).

Nguyen Thi Phuong pocketed the first gold medal in the women’s Kata event, while Nguyen Thi Ngoan secured the second gold in the women’s Kumite 61kg category. 

Yuda Ahmad Zigi Zaresta of Indonesia won the gold medal in the men’s Kata event. 

The gold medals in the men’s Kumite 60kg and 67kg categories went to Supatra Ari of Indonesia and Hari Sankar Sureeya Sankar of Malaysia. 

Chandran Shahmalarani from Malaysia won the gold in the women's Kumite 50kg event.

Concluding the first day of karate competitions, the Vietnamese, Indonesian and Malaysian Karate teams took home two gold medals each.

In addition, the Vietnamese athletes also fetched two silver and two bronze medals.

The Karate competitions are taking place from May 18 to 20 at Ninh Binh Gymnasium in the northern province of Ninh Binh. The Karate teams are competing for medals in 15 events.

At SEA Games 30 held in the Philippines in 2019, Vietnam won two gold, three silver and six bronze medals, ranking third after Malaysia and Thailand.

SEA Games 31: Wrestlers win additional six gold medals for Vietnam

Female Vietnamese wrestlers fetched six more gold medals on the second day of competition at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) on May 18.

Wrestler Nguyen Thi Xuan secured the first gold for Vietnam on the day after defeating Samnang of Cambodia in the 50kg final at Hanoi’s Gia Lam Gymnasium.

The second gold medal was obtained by Kieu Thi Ly who beat Grace Loberanes from the Philippines in the 53kg category.

Just less than one hour later, Lai Dieu Thuong won the third gold for Vietnam after overcoming Srisombat Salinee of Thailand in the 68kg event.

In the 76kg category, Dang Thi Linh managed to gain a victory over Tener Noemi of the Philippines in the final, pocketing another gold for the host country.

Concluding the successful day of Vietnamese wrestlers, sisters My Trang and My Hanh obtained the fifth and sixth golds in the 62kg and 57kg events, respectively./

After two days of competition, wrestlers contributed up to 12 gold medals to the Vietnamese sport delegation at SEA Games 31.

SEA Games 31: Felisberto De Deus makes history for Timor Leste athletics

Felisberto De Deus has claimed two silvers in the men’s 5,000m and 10,000m events at SEA Games 31, ending Timor Leste’s long wait for a SEA Games medal in athletics.

The 23-year-old athlete, with a Vietnamese flag in his hand, waved at the fans cheering on his second silver medal at this year’s Games.

De Deus expressed his happiness at the cheers from Vietnamese fans, as well as good wishes from local residents during his stay in Vietnam.

He said the cheers and the fair-minded spirit of the Vietnamese supporters pushed him in the men’s 10,000 event.

The athlete hopes that sport, particularly athletics, will help to promote the country and people of Timor Leste.

Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Nguyen Van Lai was the focus of attention on the third day of athletic competition at SEA Games 31 after winning the men's 10,000m - his second gold medal at this Games.

Lai and teammate Le Van Thao supported each other effectively to overcome fierce competition from De Deus and Arthit Soda of Thailand.

With Lai’s triumph, the Vietnamese athletics team have won 16 golds medals at SEA Games 31, almost reaching their target of 17 gold medals set before the Games.

SEA Games 31: Singaporean kayaker repeats miracle after 7 years

Seven years after becoming Singapore's first canoeing gold medallist at the 28th SEA Games on home turf in 2015, Lucas Teo won the men's kayak single 1,000m race at the ongoing SEA Games 31st in Hai Phong on May 18.

Teo, 31, completed the race in 3 mins and 51.501 secs, leaving far behind six other competitors. Maizir Riyondra of Indonesia and Methasit Sitthipharat of Thailand finished second and third within 3 mins 56.446 secs and 3 mins 58.278 secs, respectively

Teo bagged a silver medal in the same event and a bronze in the men's kayak four 1,000m team event at SEA Games 26 hosted by Indonesia in 2011.

From the sport, Singapore captured seven gold and five silver medals at SEA Game 28.

SEA Games 31: Vietnam grabs first Muay silver

Vietnam won a silver medal in Muay’s wai kru (pre-fight ritual performance) event at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) on May 17.

The silver was secured by Pham Thi Diem Trang and Pham Thi Bich Lieu. Their competitors in the first event, held in the northern province of Vinh Phuc, came from the Philippines, which bagged the gold, and Thailand.

SEA Games 31 features 11 events of Muay, comprising wai kru and 10 antagonistic games for both men and women.

Twelve Muay fighters of Vietnam will compete in all of the games.

Two more gold medals for Vietnamese rowers at SEA Games 31

Vietnamese rowers secured two more gold medals and one bronze in the finals of the women’s canoe double 1,000m and the men’s canoe four 1,000m at the ongoing SEA Games 31 held in Hai Phong city on May 18.

Truong Thi Phuong and Nguyen Thi Ngan defeated their female opponents from Thailand and Indonesia – the two strongest teams in the sportsat the Games, with a time of 4 minutes and 30.971 seconds.

Meanwhile, in the men’s canoe 1,000m, Pham Hong Quan, Hien Nam, Tran Thanh and Nguyen Quoc Toan of Vietnam made a spectacular sprint at the last 200m of the track, finishing with a time of 3 minutes and 35.147 seconds, only nearly 2 seconds faster than the Indonesian team, to win the gold medal.

This is the first gold medal of the Vietnamese rowing team in the men's event at SEA Games 31.

Vietnamese rowers also brought home one bronze medal in the men’s kayak four 1,000m on the same day.

SEA Games 31: Female fencers win fifth gold medal for Vietnamese team

The Vietnamese fencing team on May 18 secured the fifth gold medal at the ongoing 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31).

Specifically, in the women’s sabre team event, Bui Thi Thu Ha, Phung Thi Khanh Linh, Do Thi Tam and Pham Thi Thu Hoai had an outstanding performance after defeating their Singaporean rivals with a result of 45-39.

This was also the first gold medal won by Vietnam’s female fencers after seven years of waiting.

At this Games, the Vietnamese fencing team has excellently achieved their goal, with five gold, one silver and six bronze medals.

Vovinam makes comeback at SEA Games 31

SEA Games 31’s vovinam competitions are taking place at the Soc Son Gymnasium on the outskirts of Hanoi from May 18-22, offering the host a good chance to promote its traditional martial art.

Vovinam makes a return to the regional sports event after nine years of absence. It made its debut at SEA Games 26 in Indonesia in 2011. It took place for the second time in the games’ 27th edition in Myanmar in 2013.

According to insiders, the return of vovinam can be seen as a very good opportunity for Vietnam to further popularise vovinam both regionally and internationally, attract more people from many countries to practice the martial arts, thereby making a basis for vovinam to be held more often at the regional sports events.

Vietnam does not place much emphasis on achieving high results in vovinam at SEA Games 31, said Ngo Ba Huy, deputy head of the games’ vovinam organising board, because the most important goal is to introduce and promote this sport.

It represents Vietnam’s martial arts and can take to a larger stage, like continental events, Huy said.

The sport draws some 150 fighters from seven countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Laos, Thailand and host Vietnam, vying for six combat and nine performing events.

Vietnamese fighters scheduled to compete on the first day of competition include Pham Thi Kieu Giang, Nguyen Thi Hien, Nguyen Thi Hoai Nuong, Lam Thi Thuy My, Lam Tri Linh, Le Toan Trung and Tran Tan Lap.

Vovinam is the most popular style of martial art in Vietnam which was founded by Master Nguyen Loc in 1936. It was introduced to the public two years later.

Loc highlighted his so-called ‘revolution of mind’ to trainers, who are asked to always renew themselves and help others.

Vovinam involves the use of different body parts such as hands, elbows, legs and knees. Trainers also learn to use weapons, including swords, knives and fans. They also practise attacking and defensive skills.

Vovinam began to spread in 1970 and has developed in many countries with hundreds of schools in Poland, Belgium, Russia, France, and ASEAN members.

The first world championship was organised in 2009, marking a turning point in its history.

The Games 32 will take place in Cambodia in 2023, and vovinam is expected to be included.

Singaporean hurdler breaks national record for ninth time

While athletes’ capabilities usually diminish with age, Singapore’s 27-year-old Ang Chen Xiang is getting better as he gets older.

He broke the national record for the ninth time in his career on May 16, claiming a silver medal in the SEA Games 31’s 110m hurdles.

Taking part in his fourth Games, the hurdler clocked 13.94 sec at Hanoi’s My Dinh Stadium to finish second behind the Philippines’ Clinton Kingsley Bautista, who won gold in 13.78 sec.

Ang shaved 0.03 sec off his national record, which he had set at the Singapore National Track and Field Championships in January.

This was Singapore’s first medal in SEA Games hurdle events since Pasupathy Parameswaran clinched bronze at the 1989 Games in Kuala Lumpur.

It is a recognition of the hard work in the last 10 years, he told reporters, adding that hurdles is an event where an athlete matures later and all his hard work over the years has finally paid off.

Singapore athletics men's 4x100m relay team comprising Marc Brian Louis, Joshua Chua, Mark Lee and Ian Koe also clinched a bronze on the same day, clocking 39.44 sec.

It was the first time since 2015 that Singapore has earned a medal in the men's 4x100m relay event, with predecessors Calvin Kang, Gary Yeo, Muhammad Amirudin Jamal and Lee Cheng Wei winning silver at the 28th SEA Games.

SEA Games 31: Press conferences held ahead of semi-final football matches

Press conferences were held on May 18 in Phu Tho and Nam Dinh provinces prior to the semi-final matches in the men’s football of the ongoing SEA Games 31 scheduled for May 19.

Coach of Malaysia Brad Maloney highly valued their Vietnamese rivals and underlined that Malaysian players will do their utmost in the official time of the upcoming game.

Vietnam coach Park Hang-seo said the hosts will secure victory if they are able to pull solid defence and capitalise on the chances, adding that the players are in good form.

The Vietnam-Malaysia match will kick off at 7pm on May 19 in Phu Tho province’s Viet Tri Stadium.

Meanwhile, at the conference in Nam Dinh, Indonesia coach Shin Tae-yong said his team aims to enter the final as its players improved after every match.

He added that only one Indonesian footballer will not be able to play for the match.

Defender Asnawi Mangkualam will miss the match as he received two yellow cards in the group stage. To fill the position of Asnawi, Ilham Rio Fahmi is believed to be an option.

Another player, Saddil Ramdani, will arrive in Vietnam on May 18, coach Shin Tae-yong said on the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) official website.

For his part, coach Alexander Polking said Thailand will do their utmost to fulfil the target of qualifying for the final and winning the gold medal.

He said one of the team’s advantages is that it has gotten accustomed to Thien Truong Stadium and thanked football fans in Nam Dinh province for their support for the teams.

The match will kick off at 4pm on May 19 at Thien Truong Stadium, admission is free.

SEA Games 31: Vietnamese archers secure two silver medals

Vietnamese archers bagged two silver medals in the finals of the men’s and women’s teams recurve at the ongoing SEA Games 31 on May 18 morning.

In the men's team recurve event, archers Nong Van Linh, Nguyen Duy, and Chu Duc Anh met Indonesian seasoned rivals.

The Vietnamese athletes began the match well with 53 points in the first set compared to 51 points of Indonesian archers, winning 2 points in this round.

However, the Indonesian team showed their excellent performance in the next rounds as the defending champions. They defeated Vietnam with a score of 6 – 2 after the four rounds.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese women’s team failed to defend their SEA Games title after losing to the Philippine archers 5 - 4 in the finals on the same day morning.

In the same day afternoon, archers Nong Van Ninh of Vietnam will compete for the bronze medal in the men's individual recurve event.

Later, Linh and Do Thi Anh Nguyet will join together for the bronze medal in the mixed doubles recurve event.

At SEA Games 31, the Vietnamese archery team targets at least two golds out of 10 categories.

SEA Games 31: Thai sporting delegation enjoys double-decker bus tour in Hanoi

The men’s and women’s sepak takraw teams of Thailand attending the ongoing SEA Games 31, comprising of over 30 members, toured Hanoi capital with double-decker bus on May 18.

Thailand had won gold medals in the men’s and women’s team regu events at the ongoing regional sporting event, while the hosts Vietnam earned a bronze in the men’s team regu and a silver in the women’s category.

The bus took the Thai delegation to famous tourist destinations in Hanoi such as the Hanoi Opera House, Ba Dinh Square, and Thang Long Imperial Citadel.

During the ‘Hanoi City Tour’, the delegation enjoyed a 30-minute sightseeing at the Temple of Literature special national relic.

Head coach of the men’s sepak takraw team Veeras Na Nongkhai said this is the first time that he has travelled to Hanoi, hailing the city’s landscapes and people’s cordiality.

Head of the sepak takraw delegation of Thailand Pairoj Archarungroj said this is the first time for him and many Thai athletes to experience the double-decker bus tour as Bangkok has yet to launch such services.

He also praised Vietnamese and Hanoi cuisine, adding that he wants to travel to the country with his family in the future.

Competitions of the sepak takraw at SEA Games 31 are being held at Hoang Mai Gymnasium in the district of the same name in Hanoi from May 11 to 21.

The ongoing ‘Hanoi City Tour’, free of charge for all delegates, including athletes, coaches and foreign reporters of SEA Games 31 throughout May, is among tourism products of the capital city serving the biennial regional sporting event.

It is arranged by the Hanoi Transport Corporation. The buses, running between 9am and 5pm every day, can be identified with the Games’ logo and the line ‘Official bus tour for SEA Games 31’.

The service is the first of its kind in the capital. The buses carry passengers through 25 streets and have 15 stops at key local tourist destinations such as the Hanoi Opera House, St. Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi Flag Tower, President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Hoa Lo Prison, and the Vietnamese Women’s Museum.

The vehicles are also equipped audio guides in 10 languages and operate every hour.

Travel companies in Hanoi have organised 28 tours for coaches, athletes and guests to the Games, according to the municipal Department of Tourism.

The tours have been arranged to fit in with the guests’ schedules, and focus on the cultural, historical and architectural values of Hanoi, along with scenic spots and ancient villages on the city’s outskirts. 

Tourism companies are also offering trips to Ninh Binh, Sa Pa and Mai Chau, and Vietravel Tourism Company is selling tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, is being held in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities until May 23.

It features 40 sports with 523 events, attracting around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: VNA/VOV/VNS/VNN