Turning point of 2024
Bui Thi Anh Thao did not grow up in a family with a sports tradition. This petite girl was born in the rural area of Lac Son in Hoa Binh (old), now Phu Tho. However, this is a place that regularly organizes many amateur volleyball tournaments, so her family's passion for sports and love of watching volleyball matches gradually permeated Anh Thao from a young age.
Anh Thao once said she had 2 memorable opportunities in her career. One was when she was selected in the talented player selection contest organized by the Hanoi Women's Volleyball Team and the next important time was to participate in the Vietnam U20 Women's Volleyball Team in 2024.
When practicing volleyball at the Hanoi Sports Training and Competition Center, I didn't know anything about basic techniques. But when I was coached by the teachers, I learned a lot and gradually grew up," Anh Thao confided.
Head of the volleyball department (Hanoi Sports Training and Competition Center), Mr. Bui Dinh Loi, said that Anh Thao showed a love for volleyball and was willing to learn. Therefore, this hitter born in 2009 was given the opportunity by the Hanoi Women's Volleyball Team coaching staff to join the main squad from the 2023 National Volleyball League A (at that time Anh Thao was 14 years old).
From the National Volleyball League A in 2023, Anh Thao and her teammates won a ticket to the 2024 National Championship. Although the team had to be relegated in 2024, in 2025, Anh Thao played for the LPBank Ninh Binh Women's Volleyball Team on loan to win the National Championship runner-up title. This year, she returned to play for the managing unit at the 2026 National Club Volleyball Championship.
Good attacking ability, sharp tactical observation in the main attacking position on the field... are Anh Thao's strengths. Also thanks to this advantage, the hitter was trusted by coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet to be awarded a spot in the Vietnam U20 Women's Volleyball Team to compete in the 2024 AFC U20 Championship.
When I learned that I was named in the Vietnam U20 Team, I was really surprised. That is a very memorable milestone for myself," Anh Thao added. From the turning point of 2024, Anh Thao has more opportunities to wear the jersey of the Vietnam U21 Women's Volleyball Team to participate in the 2025 U21 World Championship and become a player of the Vietnam Women's Volleyball Team to win a Silver Medal at SEA Games 33.
Waiting for 2026
Bui Thi Anh Thao is participating in the 2026 Southeast Asian U18 Championship and will participate in the 2026 AFC U18 Championship (taking place in Thailand). "Everyone jokingly calls me leader but I am just a member of the team. We all maintain our focus to best complete the assigned tasks," Anh Thao humbly expressed before going to Thailand to play.
Anh Thao is expected to play well in 2 tournaments, especially if she and her teammates have a high ranking at the 2026 AFC U18 Championship, they will have the prospect of winning a spot to participate in the 2027 FIFA U19 World Championship.
With this young face, everyone sees that she is quite shy and rarely expresses herself outside. However, Anh Thao is a player who plays hard in every ball situation on the playing field. The spirit of playing her best has brought Anh Thao many very valuable experiences. Many people once said that coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet was risky when choosing Anh Thao to participate in SEA Games 33 because she is still young and inexperienced. However, the performance of this main attacker at SEA Games 33 in Thailand has proven that the decision to choose was correct.
Anh Thao is expected to have the opportunity to return to the Vietnamese women's volleyball team in the upcoming training phases in 2026. Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet still aims to select the best force to participate in ASIAD 20. The Congress will take place in September 2026 in Japan. If she has this opportunity, Anh Thao will set a record as the youngest Vietnamese women's volleyball player to ever have the opportunity to officially participate in the ASIAD arena.
Bui Thi Anh Thao's birthday was in May. She was born in 2009. This young main attacker was gathered for the Vietnamese Women's Volleyball Team in 2025 to officially compete in SEA Games 33. At that time, Anh Thao was 16 years old. According to statistics, Anh Thao was the youngest female player ever gathered for the Vietnamese Women's Volleyball Team. Previously, middle blocker Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa set a record as the youngest player to wear the Vietnamese Women's Volleyball Team jersey (16 years old), while Tran Thi Thanh Thuy was gathered for the first time for the national team when she was 17 years old.
