Recently, on her personal page, former swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien posted a photo sharing two moments of her at the Victory Cup award gala - an award considered the "Oscar" of Vietnamese sports.
The first photo is at the 2015 Victory Cup awards gala, where Anh Vien was honored for the first time in the "Female Athlete of the Year" category. The second photo is the moment she was a guest at the 2024 Victory Cup, presenting the "Female Athlete of the Year" award to shooter Trinh Thu Vinh.
Anh Vien wrote: "It's been 9 years already." The post received high interaction from the audience. Below, many friends, relatives and fans praised Anh Vien, especially about her beauty. She has had a clear transformation in appearance over time, especially after the "little mermaid" of Vietnamese swimming retired in December 2022.
When she was still a professional swimmer, Anh Vien was considered a symbol of Vietnamese swimming. She dominated the domestic and Southeast Asian swimming competitions, becoming the only Vietnamese athlete to compete in three consecutive Olympic Games.
However, to achieve those achievements, Anh Vien had to sacrifice her beauty. The female swimmer's appearance at that time was not very outstanding. The female athlete from Can Tho had uneven teeth and her hair was dyed white at the back of her neck because she was soaked in chlorine too much.
She had to cut her hair short so she could shower quickly and cover it neatly with a swimming cap so as not to hinder her swimming. In addition, Anh Vien's skin also became darker due to outdoor training conditions.
Everything has changed since she retired. No longer having to spend a lot of time practicing rigorously, no longer having the pressure of competing, Anh Vien has more time to take care of her figure. Anh Vien has switched to being a swimming instructor, creating content on social media platforms. She appears more often with a radiant, charming smile.
The beauty born in 1996 also scores points with her increasingly improved fashion sense. In her latest photos, she always wears modern, elegant, and highly applicable outfits. Her light, clear makeup also highlights Anh Vien's beauty.
Before this dramatic change, many speculated that the former swimmer had undergone cosmetic surgery. However, Anh Vien herself denied this. She said that she only had braces and porcelain veneers to have the confident smile she has now. Changing her hairstyle, makeup, and boldly trying out a feminine fashion style also helped Anh Vien have an impressive "transformation".
Besides, this former swimmer also confided that her change came from the support of her relatives and friends. A happy and comfortable life has helped the "little mermaid" exude positive energy and be happy and love life.
In a recent Vietcetera podcast, looking back at the years of competing and trading for beauty, Anh Vien affirmed that if she could choose again, she would still choose to relive the past years once more. This former swimmer even wants to try 1000 times harder, putting in a lot of passion and energy to see how she can do better.
Now, having embarked on a new journey, still attached to her passion for swimming but in a different role, without as much pressure on achievements as before, Nguyen Thi Anh Vien still always accepts everything that happens to her as a gift.
