The dreams of millions of Vietnamese football fans came true after decades of hurt and false dawns, as the men's team won their first ever gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games.

This is the first time since the SEA Games 2009 Vietnam secured the second position.

It is no exaggeration to say that this is one of the most successful SEA Games for Vietnam as athletes showed impressive progress in key events and even broke SEA Games records by far, including the cases of swimmers Huy Hoang and Hung Nguyen, and runner Nguyen Thi Oanh.

SEA Games 30 is also a sweet memory for football fans as both the mean’s team and women’s team of Vietnam became champions. Besides, events of the Olympic system were also dominated by Vietnamese athletes with 16 golds, 13 silvers and nine bronzes.

The hosts Philippines topped the tally with 149 golds, 118 silvers and 120 bronzes, followed by Vietnam with 98 golds, 85 silvers and 105 bronzes. Thailand ranked third with 92 golds, 103 silvers and 123 bronzes.

After her talks with Chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matvienko in Moscow and upon learning of the winning of the gold medal by the U-22 football team on December 10, Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan sent her congratulations to the men’s team, the women’s team and the Vietnamese delegation at the SEA Games 30./.VNA