Vietnam's women's sepak takraw team defeated the Philippines 2-0 in the women's doubles final on the morning of September 29, securing the second gold medal for the Vietnamese sports delegation at Asiad 20.
Nguyen Thi Thu Trang and Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly produced a confident performance, beating their opponents 15-8, 15-4 to win Vietnam's first women's doubles gold at the Asian Games in 20 years.
The coaching staff and players of Vietnam's women's sepak takraw team celebrate the women's doubles title and the Vietnamese sports delegation's second gold medal at Asiad 20 (Photo: Bui Luong).
At the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, Vietnamese players Luu Thi Thanh and Nguyen Hai Thao won gold in the women's doubles. The women's sepak takraw team then had to wait two decades for a new generation to repeat the achievement.
The latest gold adds to Vietnam's record in women's sepak takraw at the continental event. At the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou three years ago, Vietnam also won gold in the women's four-player event.
Speaking after the final, Nguyen Thi Thu Trang said the team had entered the match with confidence.
“We were very confident going into the final. We told each other to give everything we had to win the gold, and fortunately we achieved our goal,” she said.
Head coach Tran Thi Vui said Vietnam had a physical advantage over the Philippines and that her players had made effective use of it.
“They made the most of that advantage and did not leave the opponents any openings in the final,” she said.
The outpouring of emotion from Vietnam's women sepak takraw players (Photo: Bui Luong).
Immediately after the match, Nguyen Hong Minh, head of the Vietnamese sports delegation, awarded the women's sepak takraw team a VND 200 million (USD 7,700) cash bonus.
