Vietnamese karate concluded the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand in an emphatic fashion, officially becoming the first martial art of Viet Nam’s sports to top the medal table at three consecutive SEA Games – a landmark achievement given the intense regional competition in combat sports.
The six gold medals secured at SEA Games 33 not only ensured Viet Nam retained top spot in karate, but also completed an unprecedented hat-trick following its successes at SEA Games 31 and 32.
At the Thailand Games, Vietnamese karate claimed a total of six gold, three silver and two bronze medals, matching host Thailand in overall medal count, but finishing ahead on the decisive metric of gold medals. Notably, Vietnamese fighters emerged victorious in all four finals contested directly against Thai peers. These wins proved crucial to securing first place overall and underscored the team’s composure and resilience under pressure away from home.
The six gold medals were earned across both kumite and kata events, spanning individual and team categories for men and women alike. Gold-medal performances by Hoang Thi My Tam (women’s under 61kg), Dinh Thi Huong (women’s under 68kg), Khuat Hai Nam (men’s under 67kg) and Nguyen Thanh Truong (men’s under 84kg) highlighted Viet Nam’s depth and consistency across key weight divisions.
Topping the karate medal standings at three consecutive SEA Games has elevated the discipline to a new level within Vietnamese sport. More importantly, it provides a solid platform as Viet Nam looks ahead to next year’s 20th Asian Games (ASIAD 20) in Japan – the birthplace of karate, where the sport will feature 15 medal events.
