Achievements beyond expectations
Up to now, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh is still excited about the 2 Gold Medals she won at the 2025 Thailand Open International Athletics Tournament (closed on June 5). Notably, she won two fiercely competitive events: women's 5,000m and obstacle course 3,000m.
This is one of the few times I have won a double championship trophy at an international athletics tournament. But it was the first time I won 2 Gold Medals at an official tournament as a national player, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh briefly discussed.
Before coming to Thailand, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh and her teammates determined to strive to surpass their best results without thinking too much about the Gold Medal. Coming to the competition, under the harsh sun of the summer weather in Thailand, this female player with a small figure is still confident in successfully conquering the above two events.
Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh's efforts in the final round of the women's 3,000m hurdles event were commendable when she took the lead, far ahead of the chasing group and won the championship with a time of 11 minutes 09 seconds 21 minutes. The second place finisher, Joida G Agnao (Philippines), only achieved the result in 11 minutes 52 seconds and 32 seconds. Professional achievements have shown a long gap between the players of the Vietnam Athletics Team and the people behind.
Ngoc Anh said that Thailand was a place that brought her many memorable memories. In 2023, this runner won the first international Gold Medal in his career when he won the 3,000m distance at the Southeast Asian Youth Athletics Championship held in Thailand. Returning to Thailand this year, Ngoc Anh won 2 Gold Medals at the 2025 Thailand Open International Athletics Championship.
"The results of medals in each tournament help me feel more confident to practice. Above all, I always pay attention to listening to the coach's training instructions to achieve the best speed when competing. My familiar events are all events that require long-term endurance, so I have to accumulate a lot of physical strength, the female player shared.
"I admire Ms. Oanh"
Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh's biggest idol is athlete Nguyen Thi Oanh. According to Ngoc Anh, she also has a hobby of running and has great confidence that one day she will wear the Vietnam Athletics Team jersey.
Ngoc Anh received basic training in athletics from Hai Duong Sports Unit. In a previous conversation, coach Le Van Chuc of Hai Duong Athletics once said that he felt that the decision to choose student Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh was correct and without regret.
"In the selection of talented athletes, Ngoc Anh did not have a good index to participate in athletics. But I saw a desire to conquer her running track. The girl's eyes were very bright. Another time I asked: Do you know who the track and field athlete is competing? Ngoc Anh immediately replied: Ms. Oanh (athlete Nguyen Thi Oanh!). I understand that it is necessary to be passionate and love for this girl to remember the name of the athlete like that, so I decided to choose to join the Hai Duong Athletics Team, coach Le Van Chuc discussed.
Of course, from loving athletics to practicing professional athletics is very different. The teachers at the Hai Duong Athletics Team have trained Ngoc Anh in basic techniques from the warm-up movements, running movements, breathing ability, endurance running requirements and physical accumulation requirements.
"The important thing is that we do not force her to succeed too soon but let her develop naturally like high-performance athletes," Mr. Chuc added.
Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh said that one of her favorite moments was going to My Dinh National Stadium to watch her senior Nguyen Thi Oanh live compete for Gold Medals in the 1,500m, 5,000m, and 3,000m hurdles for women at the 31st SEA Games (May 2022).
The female player recalled: "It felt very exciting at that time. I cheered silently when I saw Ms. Oanh running home first. Those distances are all distances I practice and really want to conquer achievements like my idol. She is a very determined person. I admire Ms. Oanh very much".
The leader of the Vietnam Athletics Team at the 2025 Thailand Open International Athletics Tournament - Mr. Nguyen Duc Nguyen commented: "Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh has participated in a number of youth tournaments in the age group of Southeast Asia. Athletes have made professional progress in recent times. Of course, to approach the best achievements like Nguyen Thi Oanh, it requires preparing a huge physical foundation as well as a breakthrough. We always create conditions for young athletes to have the opportunity to show their full potential.
Hope to compete in the SEA Games for glory
This year, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh is 19 years old. She had many memorable moments. In 2021, for the first time, this runner participated in the National Athletics Championship. In 2023, Ngoc Anh was called up to the Vietnam Youth Athletics Team.
This year, she has a place in the Vietnam Athletics Team. If before, this young girl could only see her senior Nguyen Thi Oanh on the track or standing on the piste to cheer, now, they are teammates wearing the Vietnam Athletics Team jersey.
Vietnam Athletics is still looking for female athletes with potential to participate in the women's 3,000m hurdles event. This is a difficult content and not many domestic units provide training.
Through each year, we have not found many athletes capable of developing in the above content to give opportunities to the national youth team and the national team. Ngoc Anh is developing, hopefully this development will be consistent with the long-term investment of Vietnam Athletics, General Secretary of the Vietnam Athletics Federation - Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung analyzed.
Last year, we met Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh at the 2024 National Athletics Championship in Dong Nai. She won the Bronze Medal in the 3,000m hurdles at the tournament. When asked this female player about the most important goal she is aiming for, she modestly expressed that she wants to participate in the SEA Games once.
I have a big dream of standing on the field at the SEA Games. If I can compete here and see the support everyone gives me while I am fighting, it will be very touching, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh once shared.
Evaluating from the Hai Duong Athletics coaches and the coach of the Vietnam Athletics Team about Ngoc Anh, all commented: "This is a girl with great determination and diligence in practicing, never retreating".
3 years ago, Ngoc Anh, at the age of 16, was taken by her mother from Hai Duong to Hanoi to watch her senior Nguyen Thi Oanh and athletes compete in athletics at the 31st SEA Games (May 2022) in Vietnam. After 3 years, she is a national athlete who is actively preparing for the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand.
