Vietnamese athletes Nguyen Thi Phuong, Nguyen Ngoc Tram, and Hoang Thi Thu Uyen on December 11 defeated hosts Thailand to claim the gold medal in the women’s team kata event at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
This is also Vietnam’s first gold medal in karate at the Games, following four golds secured on the opening day of competition.
Vietnam's karate team aims for 3-4 gold medals at the 33rd SEA Games. (Photo: thethao247.vn)
Karate is one of Vietnam’s key sports at the SEA Games, with 19 athletes competing across kumite and kata events for both men and women. Notably, this year’s tournament does not feature individual kata for either gender, with only team kata contested.
Under the 33rd SEA Games regulations, participating nations may register for 12 out of 15 karate events, except for host Thailand, which is permitted to enter all.
Earlier, the karate division of the Sports Authority of Vietnam announced bonus rewards for athletes winning medals at the Games. They will receive a bonus of VND 10 million (USD 380 ) for each gold medal, VND 7 million and VND 5 million for a silver and bronze medal, respectively. The bonuses are funded through sponsorship and contributions from private sources to encourage and motivate the national team.
