Lê Đức Phát takes part in the Thailand Masters 2025 on January 29 in Bangkok. Photo courtesy of Lê Đức Phát

HÀ NỘI — While people around the country are celebrating the Lunar New Year festival with their families, many athletes are far away from home competing or training for better results.

Badminton player Lê Đức Phát will be the first Vietnamese athlete competing in 2025 at the Thailand Masters event on January 29, the first day of the lunar calendar.

The Paris Olympian will go up against Zhu Xuan Chen of China in the first round of the men's singles event at the Nimibutr Stadium. The Bangkok tournament started on January 28 and will run until February 2, with a prize of US$240,000.

"My target this year is world No. 50, and I also hope to earn a medal at the 33rd SEA Games this December in Thailand," said Phát, who was also away from home during Tết last year as he prepared for the 2024 Olympic campaign.

"I want to have the best preparation for tournament. A win on the first day of the Lunar New Year will have special meaning to me," he said.

In volleyball, duo Trần Thị Thanh Thúy and Trần Thị Bích Thủy can't come back home, as they are playing in Indonesia and South Korea, respectively.

These countries' domestic leagues are ongoing during the Vietnamese Tết holiday, so the athletes have to participate for their clubs.

It will be the first time Thủy celebrates Tết thousands of miles away, while Thúy is familiar with the feeling, as she has previously spent the holiday in Thailand and Japan.

In swimming, Lương Jérémie Loïc Nino is in France for an intensive training course, and he will take part in several tournaments during the holiday.

Lương was one of the Vietnamese swimmers at the 32nd SEA Games in 2023, where he took two bronze medals in the men's 500m and 100m freestyle events.

He is expected to be called for the 33rd SEA Games later this year in Thailand.

The national handball teams are also practising hard for their tournaments in the next few days.

“Our teams will take part in the Southeast Asian championships in early February, so players must train throughout Tết to ensure their best performance," said Việt Nam Handball Federation General Secretary Đào Đức Kiên.

Asia's No. 1 team, Việt Nam, will compete for the gold at the Southeast Asian Handball Championships in Thailand in early February. Photo phunuvietnam.vn

Under coach Nguyễn Thanh Tùng, the women's team are practising at Bắc Ninh Sport University.

Meanwhile the men's team, with coach Tăng Quý Minh, and the men's and women's beach handball sides under coaches Trịnh Huy Cường and Huỳnh Minh Ngôn, respectively, are doing their job in the southern provinces.

"Tết is around us, but we are really concentrating on our training. It is an important period ahead of the regional tournament, so we can't take a second to relax," said Tùng.

Coach Cường said his players were in Phan Thiết Province, which has the same weather conditions as Thailand, so they will not be affected travelling there for the championship.

The tournament will be held from February 3 to 12. Việt Nam is aiming to win two gold medals.

Meanwhile, the cycling squads are in Bình Thuận and Phan Thiết provinces for training.

Key cyclists such as Nguyễn Thị Thật, Nguyễn Thị Thu Mai and Thạch Thị Ngọc Thảo in the women's crew and Nguyễn Tuấn Vũ and Quàng Văn Cường in the men's are not only preparing for the SEA Games, but also for other domestic and international competitions.

They will compete at the Asian championships in Thailand from February 5 to 17, the International Women's Cycling Race Biwase Tour of Việt Nam from March 7 to 11, the Tour of Thailand from March 24 to 29, and other UCI events until the national championships in October.

Cyclist Nguyễn Tuấn Vũ is in Phan Thiết Province training for international tournaments in 2025. VNS Photo Gia Mẫn

“It is my first time practising during Tết. My teammates and I are a little homesick, but our national duty pushes us onwards, and we will try our best for the highest results," said Vũ.

“The Asian championship will help me learn from elite continental rivals while getting to know my opponents at the upcoming SEA Games, so that my coaches and I will come up with suitable tactics for medals in Thailand." VNS