The 2025 Southeast Asian Games is the 4th season that the couple Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son and Pham Le Thao Nguyen have attended. Previously, at the 32nd SEA Games, Cambodia had eliminated chess from the competition, so Son and Nguyen missed a year.
With the 33rd SEA Games held in Thailand, the two international chess grandmasters continue to compete. The only couple of the Vietnamese sports delegation this season is expected to bring gold medals to the country.
In the past, Truong Son and Thao Nguyen have participated in the SEA Games together 3 times. The first time was in 2013, when the two national chess players were in love. Truong Son brought home 2 gold medals, while Thao Nguyen won the bronze medal.
Returning to Vietnam after 6 years at the 30th SEA Games (2019), Truong Son and Thao Nguyen became husband and wife. They are aiming for gold medals in parallel, but this is a disappointing season when the pair cannot complete the goal.
However, at the 31st SEA Games at home, the couple brought home 3 gold medals for the Vietnam Sports Delegation. Truong Son was crowned in the men's individual sprint championship, Thao Nguyen also won the women's individual sprint championship. After that, Truong Son also won another gold medal in the men's individual standard chess event.
Truong Son and Thao Nguyen got married in 2015. Up to now, the couple has been living together for a decade. Son followed Nguyen back to his wife's hometown to start a business, joining the Can Tho sports union. The two focused on their careers, still temporarily putting aside having children.
Over the years, the love story and career of Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son and Pham Le Thao Nguyen have always been a beautiful symbol of Vietnamese sports. Both accompany and support each other on every journey, becoming a solid support for each other.
Pham Le Thao Nguyen has the support of her husband in terms of expertise and is increasingly improving. Truong Son has a partner who encourages, shares and understands, helping to maintain a strong mentality and compete brilliantly.
