Vietnam racks up martial arts golds at SEA Games 33 as karate, taekwondo athletes shine

Quach Thi Lan claimed gold in the women’s 400m hurdles, showcasing her experience and strong form, while Nguyen Trung Cuong dominated the men’s 3,000m steeplechase to secure another top podium finish.

The victory sends Vietnam's U22 confidently into the 33rd SEA Games final, keeping their hopes of gold firmly alive.

With the double triumph, Vietnam’s wushu team fulfilled its medal targets at the Games.

The six gold medals secured at SEA Games 33 not only ensured Vietnam retained top spot in karate, but also completed an unprecedented hat-trick following its successes at SEA Games 31 and 32.

On the Wushu mat, Dang Tran Phuong Nhi secured a silver medal after competing in the women’s southern fist, southern staff and southern broadsword events, finishing with a total score of 29.112 points.

With the new standing, Vietnam now rank fourth in Asia, behind only Iran (5th worldwide), Thailand (11th) and Japan (13th).

Opened at the Vietnam National Cinema Centre in Hanoi on December 12 evening, the event drew strong interest as tickets sold out quickly after going on sale on December 8.

Vietnamese "chau van", a unique folk and spiritual art form, made a strong impact on foreign audiences. The performances underscored the profound spiritual resonance and lasting art value of Vietnam's traditional culture.

As of 21:30 on December 14, Vietnam had won a total of 35 gold, 32 silver and 63 bronze medals. This haul, however, was not enough to move them back into second place, as Indonesia enjoyed a stronger day with seven additional golds.

In football, the Vietnamese women’s team lived up to expectations by defeating Indonesia 5-0 to book a place in the final for the SEA Games 2025 gold medal.

The trio of Nguyen Thuy Trang, Trinh Thu Vinh and Trieu Thi Hoa Hong delivered an impressive performance in the women’s 10m air pistol team event on December 14. Competing with consistency and precision, the Vietnamese shooters amassed a total of 1,711 points to win the gold medal and shatter the SEA Games record.

After four days of competition, Thailand continued to dominate, amassing 94 gold medals. Indonesia moved into second place with 31 golds, while Vietnam held third with 30 titles.

Adapted from the novel by Chu Lai, ‘Red Rain’ draws inspiration from the 81-day battle to defend the Quang Tri Ancient Citadel in 1972. The film has stormed into the history books as Vietnam’s highest-grossing domestic film of all time, with 700 billion VND (nearly 26.5 million USD) in revenue.

To preserve their cultural heritage and values, and prevent traditional crafts, especially traditional costume-making, from fading away, the Pa Di people in Muong Khuong, Lao Cai province, are actively working with local authorities and agencies on preservation efforts.

Prior to the launch, the Vietnamese Embassy encouraged businesses and restaurants throughout Germany to join in the event. By December 12, six partners had signed up via the We Love Pho organisation's website (welovepho.org), committing to promotional posts, website and social media shares, features in Vietnamese language media, and special discounts for pho customers during the event.

The strategy identifies core issues: creativity, identity, and facilitating conditions for talented people to shine.

Also on December 11, Vietnamese MMA athletes delivered impressive performances, securing two gold medals, one silver and two bronzes in their debut appearance at SEA Games 33.

In the qualifying round, they led with a time of 44.875 seconds. In the final, the duo continued to display outstanding form, completing the race in 43.419 seconds, finishing first ahead of strong competitors from Indonesia and Thailand.

The Venerable mentioned that this was the fourth time Vietnam had hosted the Vesak celebrations, and each time has left a significant impact. He emphasised the meticulous attention to detail, which made this year’s Vesak a standout event, leaving a deep impression on Buddhist monks, nuns and followers, and international delegates.

A light art exhibition featuring images of President Ho Chi Minh and the friendship between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea opened at the Rok's National Assembly headquarters in Seoul on December 10.