Badminton

Lê Đức Phát is Việt Nam's medal hope in the men's singles category in badminton in the 33rd SEA Games. Photo courtesy of Đức Phát

HÀ NỘI Among their international competitions this year, Vietnamese badminton players have set the 33rd SEA Games as the most important one, as they target better results compared to previous editions.

Việt Nam have not ever won a gold medal in this sport in history, even though when the country had the world bronze medallist Nguyễn Tiến Minh who used to rank world number five in the team.

Its SEA Games best achievement have been bronze medals, in either individual and team events, in which Minh bagged three in 2009, 2013 and 2017.

In the 32nd Games in Cambodia, Vietnamese athletes returned home empty-handed.

"Winning a medal in SEA Games is a really tough task because the Southeast Asian region is home to world leading players from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand," said Lê Thanh Hà, general secretary of the Việt Nam Badminton Federation.

"Taking part in the Games, Vietnamese athletes always have to try hard in training and perform their best in competing to be in top three."

Hà said in addition to training, athletes needed to sharpen their skills through international tournaments against quality rivals.

However, due to the shortage of finance, only a few players such as Nguyễn Thùy Linh, Lê Đức Phát and Nguyễn Hải Đăng have enjoyed this support.

In prepare for the upcoming Games in December in Thailand, the national players have been gathering for training since early March at the Bắc Ninh Sport University of Việt Nam.

Apart from the experienced players, the coaching board also called young talents such as Nguyễn Văn Mai, Trần Thị Ánh, Nguyễn Thị Thu Huyền and Trần Quốc Khánh under Indonesian Hariawan Hong.

Phạm Văn Hải and Thân Vân Anh are Vietnamese mixed pair who have proved their abilities in recent competitions. Photo webthethao.vn

Khoa Trung Kiên, official of the Việt Nam Sports Authority's Badminton Department, said there were seven medal sets in the Thailand Games.

"Due to tough rivals, earning places in the finals of badminton is our success. We are strong in the doubles and team events and believe to win medals from them. Medal hopes are Trần Quốc Khánh, Nguyễn Văn Mai, Thân Vân Anh and Trần Thị Ánh. In the singles event, we trust in Phát in the men's category," said Kiên.

World No 29 Linh will also shoulder heavy task in the women's singles. She has just bagged a silver from the 2025 German Open event.

“We have to choose the right categories to strongly support so that our chances will be much clear at the SEA Games. Also, tactics during competition are very important too,” Kiên said.

Việt Nam Badminton Federation President Lê Đăng Xu said Việt Nam not only set high target in SEA Games but also wants to win a medal at the Asian Games 2026, as well as keep eyes on earning berths at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

He said the federation would pay more attention to the younger generation of players too.

"We will try to mobilise finance from the social sources so that players can take part in all levels of international tournaments," said Xu.

"In the long term, it is still about developing badminton in community, improving the quality of training, and finding many promising athletes to supplement the national teams.

"In the future, the Vietnamese badminton team will be given all conditions to practice, aiming for high achievements in the SEA Games arena, where Vietnamese badminton is always waiting for a prestigious gold medal," he said. VNS