New development cycle
SEA Games still plays an important role for Vietnamese sports, but it is not the only destination. It is considered a stage in the interconnected roadmap, continuing between regional, Asian and Olympic tournaments.
In the current period, the Southeast Asian Games are placed in a series of inherited tournaments. Vietnamese sports clearly define the order of priority, SEA Games is the stage of testing the force, the Asian Championship is the professional measure, and the Olympics is the highest goal.
Athletics is a typical example. At SEA Games 33, athlete Nguyen Thi Oanh did not compete in the 1,500m distance. Instead, the coaching staff gave opportunities to Bui Thi Ngan and Nguyen Khanh Linh. As a result, Vietnamese athletics still won gold and silver medals, expanding the successor force for the post-Congress period.
In long distances, Nguyen Thi Oanh continues to play a professional standard role, accompanying young athletes in the process of accumulating experience.
Shooting shows the clearest approach to the Olympic roadmap. Trinh Thu Vinh is identified as a key athlete aiming for the Olympics. Participating in the SEA Games helps the shooter born in 2000 maintain his performance and expertise, but does not change the long-term orientation that has been built in advance.
In youth football, SEA Games is considered a psychological foundation and competitive bravery, rather than the ultimate destination. U23 Vietnam clearly defines the goal as being in the AFC U23 Championship and the Olympic qualifiers, where the level and competitiveness are much higher than the regional playground.
SEA Games is no longer the destination
For young athletes, a successful SEA Games is not a stopping point. They must maintain their form through many competition cycles lasting 4-6 years, continuously competing for competition slots in the context of an increasingly large and more quality force. The pressure therefore does not decrease but shifts to another form, requiring higher adaptability and stability.
In the new development model, they must accept gradual accumulation through each tournament, in parallel with experienced seniors. This requires greater psychological bravery and perseverance compared to the previous period.
For the coaching staff and federations, long-term thinking means having to accept short-term achievement "sacrifice" times. The strongest squad is not always used and not every SEA Games sets a goal to maximize the number of medals.
Linked to the story of the current Generation Z athletes of Vietnamese sports, it can be seen that this group is well-trained, approaches sports science earlier, but also faces stricter requirements. They are not only expected to win SEA Games medals, but also have to approach Asian level and aim for Olympic standards.
New thinking only becomes effective when the training system is consistent and continuous throughout many cycles. SEA Games is no longer the only destination, but to turn that into an advantage, Vietnamese sports needs to maintain a long-term strategy and synchronous investment.
