The Vietnamese gymnastics team train hard for the upcoming SEA Games 33. — Photo hanoimoi.vn

SEA Games

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese gymnastics team are flipping into action ahead of SEA Games 33 with an aim to land two gold medals.

According to the Sports Authority of Việt Nam, the team are focusing on ten core athletes, with the final list to be confirmed once the gymnasts reach peak form and remain injury-free.

The SEA Games Organising Committee has removed the all-around and team events, traditional strengths for Việt Nam, leaving only individual competitions. Each athlete can register for a maximum of three events and compete in the finals of no more than two.

Despite these changes, coaches have confirmed that the country will participate in all men’s and women’s events.

Coach Trương Minh Sang said: "The Vietnamese gymnastics team are making the best preparations for the SEA Games. Each athlete competed in three international competitions to sharpen their mental resilience and test their skills. We have also adjusted the competition pace at each stage to maintain physical strength and technical stability."

Key male athletes include Nguyễn Văn Khánh Phong, Đinh Phương Thành and Đặng Ngọc Xuân Thiện. Phong won silver at the Challenge Cup, while Thiện claimed gold at the Challenge Cup and bronze at the Asian Championship. The athletes are raising the difficulty of their routines to optimise performance.

Thiện said: "The SEA Games 33 will feature fierce competition from Malaysia and the Philippines, but we aim to defend the gold medal in the pommel horse. The whole team are ready."

In the women’s category, Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Như is expected to shine, having earned silver in the women’s vault at the Asian Championships. She is considered a strong contender for gold, a long-awaited milestone for Vietnamese women’s gymnastics.

The athletes also honed their skills at the 2025 National Gymnastics Championship in Hà Nội in September, gaining confidence as they head to Thailand.

Beyond the SEA Games, the team are targeting the 2025 World Championship in Indonesia to assess their capabilities and accumulate points toward the 2028 Olympics. ASIAD 20 in 2026 is another key objective, following Phong’s historic silver medal at ASIAD 19.

With a strong lineup and thorough preparation in technique, endurance and mental resilience, the Vietnamese gymnastics team are expected to achieve their two-gold target at the 33rd Games, marking a pivotal step toward ASIAD 20 and the 2028 Olympics and strengthening the country’s presence on the international gymnastics stage. — VNS