Vietnam's swimming team continued its dominant streak at the 33rd SEA Games, capturing the gold medal in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay. The standout performance of the evening came from a 17-year-old swimmer who turned the tide in spectacular fashion.

In the final event of the December 11 competition day, Team Vietnam entered the men’s relay finals with thorough strategic and personnel preparations.

Head coach Nguyen Hoang Vu shared that the team lineup was the result of long-term training and meticulous planning, ensuring each swimmer peaked at the right time and was placed in their optimal racing slot.

On the opening leg, Nguyen Huy Hoang gave Vietnam a steady start. Next, Tran Hung Nguyen maintained the tempo, setting the stage for a game-changing surge.

The third leg saw a spectacular breakout from 17-year-old Tran Van Nguyen Quoc, who closed a significant gap with a powerful performance that propelled Vietnam back into the leading pack.

In the anchor position, Trinh Viet Tuong held his nerves under pressure and accelerated at just the right moment, leading Vietnam to touch the wall first with a time of 7 minutes 18.67 seconds. Malaysia followed with silver at 7:19.50, while Singapore claimed bronze with a time of 7:21.13.

This triumph marked a historic milestone for Vietnam, as the men's 4x200m freestyle relay team won their third consecutive SEA Games title - after previous victories in 2021 and 2023.

The remarkable achievement not only reaffirmed Vietnam’s position as the region’s top contender in swimming but also underscored the emergence of a new generation of Vietnamese swimmers ready to shine on the regional stage.

Moments when Vietnamese swimmers stirred the waves at SEA Games 33:

Thien Binh