Vietnamese MMA fighters compete in the recent national event. The Vietnamese MMA athletes will compete in the 33rd SEA Games by socialised funding. — Photo tienphong.vn

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will make a powerful showing at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand from December 9 to 31, competing in 45 sports that range from traditional favourites to fast-rising disciplines backed by community funding. The breadth of participation reflects not only medal ambition but also a growing spirit of unity that fuels the nation’s sporting culture.

Among the events are skateboarding, ice skating, bowling, mixed martial arts (MMA), nine-a-side and five-a-side baseball, mountaineering, teqball, e-sports, tug of war and jet skiing. These sports are gaining popularity in Việt Nam and promise to add excitement as they take their place on the regional stage.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoàng Đạo Cương said every medal earned at the Games carries great significance. More importantly, he stressed, the use of socialised resources reflects national unity and collaboration in building a dynamic and progressive sporting culture.

At a recent meeting preparing for the Games, federations and associations of socialised sports affirmed their thorough preparations. They have proactively developed training plans, selected top athletes and are ready to compete with determination to bring home impressive achievements.

Tống Ngọc Hòa, Deputy General Secretary and Chief of Office of the Việt Nam Mixed Martial Arts Federation (VMMAF), said, “The 33rd SEA Games will feature six MMA events, and the Vietnamese team are set to participate in all of them. We have systematically built a professional training programme aimed at selecting the most elite fighters.

"After evaluating the strengths and analysing opponents, Việt Nam’s MMA plans to propose sending the first MMA team to this regional event, comprising six fighters (three men and three women), with the goal of clinching at least one gold medal."

Chairman of the Vietnam Entertainment E-Sports Association Đỗ Việt Hùng said: “We plan to send 60 officials, coaches and athletes to the SEA Games in esports. This year, host Thailand will organise only four sports with six events, where fierce competition is expected between Việt Nam and Thailand. Our goal is to secure one gold medal, two silver medals and three bronze medals, solidifying our position in the region after several successful SEA Games.”

Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of HCM City Nguyễn Nam Nhân added that this unit will send athletes to compete in teqball, mountaineering and tug of war. These emerging sports hold tremendous potential and have been rapidly developing.

Notably, mountaineering, which is gradually becoming an Olympic event, currently benefits from training by an American coach in Việt Nam. Tug of war, a traditional strength, aims for at least two bronze medals. These sports are being implemented with a focus on socialisation, mobilising resources from federations, associations and localities.

Nhân also emphasised that the focus is not solely on performance targets at the SEA Games. More importantly, it is about creating conditions for athletes to compete and promote the sports movement in the country. All participation fees are mobilised through socialisation, demonstrating a clear strategy that saves the state budget while encouraging societal support for sports development.

However, he noted that teams must streamline their efforts, carefully review their rosters and commit to adhering to the rules and regulations set forth for the Vietnamese sports delegation at this event.

General Secretary of the Việt Nam Skating and Roller Skating Federation, Trịnh Thị Trang, reported plans to send nine athletes for skateboarding, figure skating, and speed skating, with a target of securing one bronze medal. 

This is also the goal for bowling, which emphasises young athletes competing at the Games. Nevertheless, the coaching staff remains limited, necessitating more international experts to enhance their skills.

For jetski, the Việt Nam Motorboat Federation has collaborated with the Kawasaki brand to procure training and competition equipment. This SEA Games marks the second time this sport will be featured, with a team of seven athletes, three of whom have competed internationally, aiming for positive results.

Deputy Minister Cương highly praised the initiatives and efforts of the federations and associations in preparation. He highlighted that the inclusion of socialised sports in the Games not only aims for medals but also underscores an inevitable trajectory in the development of Vietnamese sports.

This is a golden opportunity for new, modern and captivating sports to reach broader audiences while fostering sustainable growth for specialised federations and associations.

Each medal at the SEA Games is invaluable, yet the collective participation through socialised resources represents the consensus and joint efforts of society in establishing a robust and advanced sports foundation.

Thus, the group of socialised sports at the 33rd SEA Games is not just a 'new frontier' in the regional arena, but also a strategic step in affirming Việt Nam's position in the sports world during an era of deep integration. VNS