SEA Games 31: Vietnamese team takes top spot in muay event

Vietnamese team topped muay competitions on May 22 at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) with four gold medals in total.

Bang Thi Mai (right) beat Sirisopa Sirisak of Thailand in the finals of women’s 60kg category to win a gold medal for Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)
Bang Thi Mai (right) beat Sirisopa Sirisak of Thailand in the finals of women’s 60kg category to win a gold medal for Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

After a convincing victory in the first rounds, in the women's 54 kg category final, Bui Yen Ly beat Ruchira Wongsriwo of Thailand 30-27, bringing home the first gold for the Vietnam muay team.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat proved his strength when defeating his Thai opponent Chonlawit Preedasak 29-28 after three rounds in the men’s 60kg category.

Similarly, Bang Thi Mai won victory over Sirosopa Sirisak of Thailand with 29 points in the women’s 60kg category, just one more than her rival while Nguyen Thi Phuong Hau defeated Thai muay martial artist Kamtakrapoom in women’s 63.5kg category.

In other matches, Wansawang Srila-or of Thailand beat Nuramisha Binti Azrilrizal of Malaysia to earn the first gold medal for the Thai team.

Concluding SEA Games 31 muay competitions, Vietnam topped the team’s rankings with four gold, five silver and one bronze medals, surpassing the initial target of one or two golds.

The Thai team came second with three gold, four silver and four bronze medals while the Philippines were third with two gold. Malaysia and Cambodia each won one gold at the event.