Vietnam secured its first gold medal on December 18 at the 33rd SEA Games following an impressive performance in the men’s team relay duathlon event.

Athlete Pham Tien San (far right) celebrates with his teammates after winning the gold medal.

The Vietnamese trio of Nguyen Le Hoang Vu, Nguyen Anh Tri and Bac Ninh born Pham Tien San outpaced strong regional rivals in a tightly contested race. Each athlete completed a 2km run, an 8km cycling leg and a 1km run before handing over to a teammate.

The race was decided in the final leg, when Tien San withstood intense pressure from Indonesia and produced a decisive sprint in the closing metres to cross the line first, sealing a narrow victory for Vietnam.

The gold marked Vietnam’s third consecutive SEA Games title in duathlon, providing a strong start to the country’s medal haul on December 18. The Vietnam Triathlon Federation said gold medallists at the 33rd SEA Games will receive a 50 million VND (1,900 USD) bonus.

The eighth day of competition also saw strong results in other disciplines. In dragon boat racing, the women’s team delivered an outstanding performance to defeat both Indonesia and host Thailand, claiming gold in the women’s 10-seat 200m event.

In wrestling, Nguyen Thi My Hanh added another gold after winning the women’s 62kg freestyle category with a controlled and confident display.

Vietnam also collected a medal in archery, as Nguyen Ngoc Dung, Nguyen Trong Hai and Dang Cong Duc secured bronze in the men’s compound team event after defeating Indonesia in the third-place match.

In swimming, Mai Tran Tuan Anh won silver in the men’s 10km final, while Nguyen Huy Hoang finished fourth. Gold went to Thailand’s Thammananthachote.

At the Hua Mak shooting range, Ha Minh Thanh led after the first 30 shots of the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol qualification with 286 points, followed by Pham Quang Huy in fourth place with 282 points. The remaining qualification round will take place on December 19.

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