Hanoi commends athletes and coaches with high achievements at SEA Games 33

11:17 PM, Wed January 07, 2026

The Hanoi Party Committee, the People's Council, the People's Committee, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hanoi on the afternoon of January 7 jointly held a ceremony to honor and reward coaches and athletes who achieved outstanding results at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, SEA Games 33, in 2025.

Attending the ceremony were Hoang Dao Cuong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet, Director General of the Vietnam Sports Administration; and Tran Van Manh, Secretary General of the Vietnam Olympic Committee.

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Overview of the event.

Representing Hanoi were Nguyen Van Phong, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee; Bui Huyen Mai, member of the Standing Board of the Party Committee and Chairwoman of the Hanoi Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee; and Tran The Cuong, member of the Standing Board of the Party Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Council.

Also in attendance were Vu Thu Ha, member of the Party Committee and Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People's Committee; Bach Lien Huong, member of the Party Committee and Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Hanoi People's Council; and Pham Tuan Long, Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports.

The ceremony was attended by leaders of the Hanoi Sports Delegation and nearly 300 coaches and athletes who represented Hanoi at SEA Games 33.

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Delegates at the event.

Hanoi contributes more than 33% of Vietnam's total medals

At the event, Pham Tuan Long, Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, said SEA Games 33 took place in Thailand from December 9 to December 20, 2025. The Vietnamese Sports Delegation won a total of 278 medals, including 87 gold, 81 silver, and 110 bronze, maintaining its position among the region's leading nations.

Out of more than 1,000 members of the national delegation, Hanoi contributed 210 members, including 169 athletes, competing in 30 sports and disciplines.

Although the number of Hanoi athletes selected for SEA Games 33 was modest compared with the overall size of the Vietnamese delegation, Hanoi's coaches and athletes competed with determination, overcame challenges, and made an important contribution to Vietnam's overall result of finishing among the top three nations at the Games, Pham Tuan Long noted.

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Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports Pham Tuan Long.

Hanoi athletes left a strong mark by winning 79 medals, including 29 gold, 23 silver, and 27 bronze. The 29 gold medals accounted for 29 out of Vietnam's total 87 golds, equivalent to 33.33%. This figure reflects Hanoi's role as a driving force in national sports, demonstrated not only by tradition but also by effective investment and a sustainable development strategy.

Long emphasized that Hanoi's coaches and athletes showed unity, resilience, confidence, and creativity, completing their missions with distinction and contributing significantly to Vietnam's leading position at SEA Games 33.

To sustain high performance and remain a core contributor to national sports at future SEA Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics, the Department of Culture and Sports proposed continued investment in athlete selection and training systems, especially for key athletes receiving overseas training in countries with advanced sports systems such as China, South Korea, and Japan.

Preparations are also underway for the 10th National Sports Games in 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City, the 20th Asian Games in 2026, and the 34th Olympic Games in 2028.

Speaking on behalf of Hanoi's athletes, veteran gymnast Dinh Phuong Thanh shared that he was born in Hanoi and dreamed from a young age of competing for the capital. With the city's support, he achieved multiple international successes. Most recently at SEA Games 33, he won a gold medal in the parallel bars and a bronze medal in the horizontal bar.

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Delegates at the event.

Karate coach Duong Hoang Long, who also serves as head coach of the national karate team, said Hanoi's recent success in karate reflects the city's professional and systematic investment. At SEA Games 33, Hanoi karate athletes won 3 out of Vietnam's 6 gold medals, playing a decisive role in Vietnam's top ranking in the sport.

Hanoi deepens investment ahead of Asian Games and Olympics

Addressing the ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of Hanoi People's Committee Vu Thu Ha congratulated the athletes and coaches on their achievements at SEA Games 33.

She noted that during the Games, people across the country, especially in the capital, felt proud of Vietnam's results. Hanoi contributed 33.3% of the nation's total medals, with many athletes and sports achieving outstanding performances.

According to Ha, these achievements are a fitting reward for the perseverance, dedication, and determination of Hanoi's coaches and athletes.

They also reflect the strong support of families and the city's consistent leadership, planning, and investment in developing high-performance sports, with a long-term orientation toward professional standards and international arenas such as the Asian Games and the Olympics.

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Delegates at the event.

Hanoi has allocated resources to upgrade facilities and equipment to international standards, introduced support and reward policies for athletes and coaches, organized overseas training and competitions, and created opportunities for international exchange to enhance competitive experience.

The city has also expanded the use of foreign experts to directly train Hanoi athletes, underscoring its commitment to investing in sports featured in the Asian Games and Olympic programs, with the SEA Games serving as a foundation for broader international progress.

At the ceremony, Hanoi announced a reward of VND3 billion (US$118,000) for the Hanoi Sports Delegation at SEA Games 33. An additional VND1 billion (US$39,000) was awarded to the national U22 football team for its convincing championship victory at the Games.

Hanoi also announced individual rewards, accompanied by certificates of merit from the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, at the following levels: VND55 million (US$2,165) per gold medal, VND30 million (US$1,180) per silver medal, and VND25 million (US$985) per bronze medal.

Coaches with medal-winning athletes receive 50% of the corresponding athlete reward. Nearly 300 officials, coaches, and athletes were honored for their outstanding achievements at SEA Games 33.