Athlete Nguyen Thi Oanh won three gold medals in the 5,000m, 10,000m and 3,000m steeplechase at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games. Photo: Dong Thuy/TTXVN
Brilliant achievements in high-performance sport
Arguably the most outstanding achievement of sports in Bac Ninh in 2025 will be the number of gold medals that athletes from the Quan Ho region helped win at the recent 33rd Southeast Asian Games held in Thailand, bringing glory to the nation.
According to Nguyen Trong Bac, deputy director of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Department of Bac Ninh Province, sending 15 athletes to the national team, participating in 12 key sports at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games and winning 15 medals, including 7 gold medals, is an outstanding achievement of Bac Ninh athletes. This success contributes significantly to the overall success and strengthens the position of Vietnamese sports in Southeast Asia.
Of particular note, athlete Nguyen Thi Oanh won three gold medals in athletics in the 5,000 m, 10,000 m and 3,000 m steeplechase; the athlete Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy a gold medal in Wushu (women’s sanda up to 60 kg); the athlete Pham Tien San a gold medal in triathlon (combination of three disciplines) and in the men’s duathlon team; the athlete Do Ngoc Linh won a gold medal in women’s freestyle wrestling (up to 50 kg). In addition, numerous athletes won multiple silver and bronze medals in boxing, judo, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, ASEAN chess and kayaking.
In the joyful spirit of the New Year, Nguyen Thi Oanh shared her pride in her three gold medals at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games. Oanh explained that discovery and encouragement through school sports programs, participation in grassroots competitions and selection for regional sports talent training were the opportunities that led her to competitive sports. After 15 years of competing in competitive sports, overcoming difficulties and challenges, there were times when she thought she no longer had a chance in athletics. But Oanh’s burning desire to train, compete and continue to strive for success remained.
At the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, Oanh won three gold medals at the Games for the third consecutive year, bringing her total number of Southeast Asian Games gold medals to 15. Oanh is currently the Vietnamese athlete with the most gold medals in this competition.
For Wushu fighter Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, who won a decisive victory against the Myanmar fighter in the final of the women’s Sanda competition in the 60kg weight category, the most emotional moment was when she stood on the podium to accept the gold medal and witnessed the Vietnamese national anthem being played and the national flag being raised highest.
Thuy’s biggest international goal in 2026 is the Asian Games (ASIAD 20) in Japan. The martial artist is determined to improve on her bronze medal from the ASIAD 19 and achieve first place. Additionally, Thuy will compete in the World Sanda Cup to defend her gold medal.
Targeted, focused investments with a long-term vision.
Athlete Pham Tien San and his family won the gold medal in the men’s team duathlon at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games. Photo: Dong Thuy/TTXVN
In 2025, athletes from Bac Ninh competed and won a total of 1,506 national medals, including 403 gold medals. At the international level, Bac Ninh sports teams won a total of 93 medals in various Games, World Championships, Asian Championships and Southeast Asian Regional Championships, including 35 gold medals.
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