Vietnam wins Asian Games sepak takraw gold medal after thrilling victory over Thailand

Women’s regu-4 is one of Vietnam’s strengths in sepak takraw. 

The team has achieved several notable international results, including a gold medal at the 19th Asian Games.

Thailand did not compete in the event at that edition. In fact, women’s regu-4 is not considered one of Thailand’s strongest events.

However, as the world’s leading sepak takraw nation, Thailand has no shortage of players with outstanding skills.

Vietnam and Thailand had previously met in the group stage at the 20th Asian Games. With both teams almost certain to advance and little at stake, Vietnam secured a relatively comfortable 2-0 victory.

The final, however, was a very different contest, with Vietnam taking fans through a roller coaster of tension and anxiety as the team repeatedly lost momentum.

Vietnam started with Nguyen Thi My, Tran Thi Ngoc Yen, Nguyen Thi Yen and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Huyen and took an early 7-4 lead in the first set.

However, repeated injuries to Thailand’s Wiphada, which caused several interruptions, affected Vietnam’s momentum to some extent. The Vietnamese players dropped points at crucial moments but still won the set 15-11.

The second set was a high-level battle between two teams that had earned their places in the final.

Thailand brought Bunthod Manlika on for the second set, with the left-footed player displaying deft skills and accuracy with her kicks.

Together with attacking player Somruedee, she exploited gaps in Vietnam’s defense to build leads of 6-2 and 10-6.

As Vietnam began to close the gap, Wiphada again required medical attention, causing another interruption. However, Vietnamese players were less affected.

Quality attacks from Ngoc Yen helped Vietnam recover from an 8-13 deficit and move ahead 14-13.

The Vietnamese team was unable to capitalize on the chance to close out the set, as Thailand fought back to win 17-15.

Vietnam’s successful comeback in the set nevertheless helped the players regain confidence going into the decider.

Vietnam again fell behind early in the third set but managed to level the score. After a series of crucial points, Ngoc Yen produced a decisive attacking kick to seal an emotional 15-11 victory in the final set and secure the gold medal for Vietnam.

This was the third time in history that Vietnam had won the women’s regu-4 title at the Asian Games.

At the 20th Asian Games, held from September 19 to October 4 in Japan, Vietnam's sports delegation is targeting more than four gold medals.

The country claimed its first gold medal at the Games on September 22, when its women's karate team won the team kata final against Iran.

The second gold medal came on September 29, when the Vietnamese women’s sepak takraw team defeated the Philippines 2-0 in the women’s doubles final.