Vietnam women’s volleyball team falls short in SEA Games final, misses gold without Bich Tuyen

Vietnam won the opening set 25-19, but Thailand quickly regained control, winning the next two sets 25-13 and 25-18.

Despite the setback, the Vietnamese team fought back, with captain Tran Thu Thanh Thuy leading them to a 25-23 victory in the fourth set, forcing a final, decisive set.

In the fifth set, Vietnam surged to a 10-5 lead, but Thailand’s experience proved decisive.

The match was tied 12-12 before the Thai team clinched the gold with a 25-23 win in the final set, sealing a 3-2 victory.

The match, which lasted over two hours, saw Vietnam miss at least three match points, a major turning point in the closely contested final.

“It was the most emotional match I’ve ever witnessed from Vietnam’s women’s team,” Nguyen Ba Nghi, a volleyball expert, said, adding that despite the loss, the team’s performance was impressive.

Fans expressed disappointment online, with many attributing the loss to Bich Tuyen’s absence.

“With Bich Tuyen, Vietnam would have won the gold,” one fan commented.

Vietnam coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet excluded Bich Tuyen from the national team after Thailand, host of the 2025 SEA Games, announced plans to conduct gender verification tests.

Other fans were optimistic about the team’s future, noting that they are likely to challenge Thailand for the title in the near future.

The SEA Games run from December 9 to December 20 and feature athletes from 11 countries.

Vietnam has sent 1,165 delegation members and is targeting between 80 and 100 gold medals.

As of Monday morning, Vietnam was third in the medal standings with 40 golds, 47 silvers and 70 bronzes.

Host Thailand leads the medal table with 145 golds, 87 silvers and 59 bronzes, while Indonesia held second place with 52 gold, 65 silver, and 64 bronze medals.