Khuat Hai Nam claims his first career SEA Games gold
Khuat Hai Nam became the first Vietnamese male kumite fighter to clinch a gold medal at SEA Games 33. Competing in the men’s 67kg final, he overwhelmed Thailand’s Chanchang with a dominant 6–1 victory, securing the first SEA Games gold of his career.
Reflecting on his achievement, Nam said, “Being selected for SEA Games 33, I concentrated intensely on my technical preparation. In the final, the home athlete had strong support from the local crowd, but I stayed composed and executed my plan. This gold medal means a great deal to me because it’s my first—and also my first time competing at the SEA Games.”
Trained within the People’s Public Security sports system, Hai Nam earned national-team selection by capturing the national championship earlier this year. Head Coach Duong Hoang Long described him as a technically strong athlete with an exceptional competitive spirit. Two years ago, at SEA Games 32 in Cambodia, Vietnam failed to win any gold in men’s individual kumite. Hai Nam has now broken that drought, giving the team strong momentum.
Bac Thi Khiem firmly defends her No.1 status
In the women’s 67kg taekwondo final, Bac Thi Khiem outclassed her opponent from the Philippines with a 2–0 win (12–6, 11–1) to reclaim the gold medal—having fallen short in the SEA Games 32 final, where she settled for silver.
Ahead of SEA Games 33, Khiem trained in South Korea. As one of Vietnam’s most seasoned and decorated taekwondo fighters, her victory in Chonburi was widely anticipated by the coaching staff. Last year, she captured the gold medal at the 2024 Asian Championship held in Vietnam, following her bronze win in the same weight class at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Counting this latest triumph, Bac Thi Khiem has now won SEA Games gold in 2019, 2022, and 2025. As a key member of Vietnam’s elite athlete cohort, she is expected to continue her preparations for the 20th Asian Games in 2025.
