With nearly 30% of Vietnam's total medals at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 32), Hanoi has proven one of the nation's leading localities in sports training and development.

Wushu performer Truong Thuy Vi at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (32nd SEA Games). Photo: Bui Luong/The Hanoi Times

Vietnam's sports delegation to the 32nd SEA Games totaled 702 athletes and coaches, including 43 coaches and nearly 160 athletes trained in Hanoi.

The Hanoi athletes won 40 gold, 27 silver, and 32 bronze medals. In total, Vietnamese players won 359 medals, including 136 gold medals, 105 silver medals and 118 bronze medals.

"The achievements were the great results of Hanoi's athletes' tireless efforts during the Games, which strengthened Vietnam's top ranking," said Dao Quoc Thang, director of the Hanoi Sports Training and Competition Center.

"Their successes were also the results of the correct policy of sports development that Hanoi has been pursuing over the past few years, through strong investment and the contribution of non-state sponsors," he said.

Such a proper policy has produced generations of talented athletes with strong performances that have brought Vietnam to the forefront in the region, Thang said.

In particular, most of Hanoi's athletes competed in Olympic and Asian Games sports such as table tennis, canoeing, gymnastics, weightlifting, wushu and taekwondo.

Local fans cannot forget the pride and joy when Tran Mai Ngoc and Dinh Anh Hoang defeated their Singaporean opponents in the mixed doubles table tennis final to win Vietnam's first gold medal in 26 years.

Gymnast Dinh Phuong Thanh won her fifth consecutive gold medal at the SEA Games, while talented wushu performer Duong Thuy Vi won her seventh gold medal in women's wushu jianshu (straight sword) and qiangshu (spear).

In boxing, Ha Thi Linh seized her chance to win the only gold medal for the Vietnamese boxing team at the 32nd SEA Games after world runner-up Do Thi Tam was injured in the first round.

Other top local athletes at the 32nd SEA Games were Pham Quoc Viet in taekwondo, Nguyen Thi Lan and Truong Van Chuong in wushu, Vu Thanh An, Bui Thi Thu Ha and Pham Thi Thu Hoai in fencing, and Nguyen Thi Hang and Hoang Thi Minh Hanh Hanh in athletics.

These results again confirmed Hanoi's leading position among all provinces and cities in sports training and development, especially for the ASIAD and Olympic Games.

"For us, it is heartbreaking to train far from home, especially for me because I am a mother of two sons," said boxer Ha Thi Linh. "But we understand that it is our duty and pride to train and perform well in the games."

She said it was a joyful moment for Linh to win the first and only gold medal for her boxing team. "I am proud to be among the Hanoi athletes who contributed to Vietnam's success in the Games."

Awards and future goals

The performance of Hanoi athletes in the 32nd SEA Games has brought them good rewards.

Vietnamese player during a fencing match at the 32nd SEA Games. Photo: Bui Luong/The Hanoi Times

Specifically, each athlete rakes in VND55 million (US$2,340) for each gold medal they won, VND30 million (US$1,280) for each silver medal, and VND25 million (US$1,065) for each bronze medal.

Coaches are paid half the amount of the athletes.

Total rewards for Hanoi athletes are estimated at VND3.8 billion (US$161,870), not to include awards from private sponsors and businesses.

As soon as the 32nd SEA Games were over, all athletes returned to their training programs to prepare for the 19th Asian Games (ASIAD 19), held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8, 2023. After the regional games, they will train for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

Dao Quoc Thang, director of the Hanoi Sports Training Center, said the center is ready and willing to provide national athletes with the best nutrition and equipment standards.

The aim is to promote their development so that they can reach higher goals and achievements in the most sustainable way, thus bringing great results for Hanoi and Vietnam in the future, Thang said.

"After the 32nd SEA Games, Hanoi athletes will continue their training as planned. They will travel abroad and enjoy higher quality training in other countries where the sports industry is better developed," he added.

"These will be the opportunities for them to improve their skills and experience. Besides, we will continue to search for new generations of talents and develop proper plans for them, expecting that they will grow and Vietnam will see better performances in regional and global games," the director said.