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| Nguyen Thu Huong (right) - one of Hue sports’ “hidden cards” at SEA Games 33. Photo: Chu Tuan |
Vietnam Sports Delegation participating in SEA Games 33 in Thailand from December 1st - 21st, 2025 consists of 952 members, among them Hue contributes 1 coach and 7 athletes, including: Chu Minh Tuan (Jujitsu coach); Le Minh Thuan (Karate athlete); Nguyen Thu Huong, Van Suu (Jujitsu athletes); Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhi (archery athlete); Nguyen Thi My Hanh, Nguyen Thi My Trang, Nguyen Thi My Linh (wrestling athletes).
Previously, on September 30th, Vietnam Sports Administration announced the list of coaches and athletes entitled to special training benefits in preparation for SEA Games 33, which included the 8 names from Hue mentioned above.
However, that was not the final list, since whether a person gets to compete at the SEA Games still depends on factors such as performance, attitude, form, injuries, and evaluations from experts regarding both coaches and athletes throughout their training and competition process.
Initially, Hue sports aimed to have 3 - 5 athletes participate and win 1 - 2 gold medals at SEA Games 33. However, due to several “unexpected factors”, Hue now has 7 athletes participating this time. Together with 1 coach, this marks a historic SEA Games for Hue sports as the first time ever with 8 representatives at the event.
With 7 athletes competing, Hue sports has set its target for SEA Games 33: contributing 3-5 medals to Vietnam’s overall results, aiming for 3 gold medals.
Aside from experienced names such as My Hanh, My Trang, Minh Thuan, and Thanh Nhi, new athletes like Van Suu, Thu Huong, and My Linh will be competing at the region’s largest sporting event for the first time.
Nevertheless, many believe the odds of these newcomers winning gold are quite high, as they have the advantages of youth, strong ambition, and importantly, a level of unfamiliarity to their opponents. This also means they are the true “hidden cards”, capable of breaking through and creating surprises at crucial moments.