Before the 2026 Southeast Asian U18 Volleyball Championship kicked off in Nakhon Ratchasima (Thailand), experts and fans predicted that the Vietnam U18 team would not easily conquer the tournament.
In fact, on the field, the strikers of coach Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa played confidently, passed the group stage and won the semi-finals and reached the final. Although losing to the U18 Thailand women's team in the final, the professional performance of each young U18 Vietnam player brought many notable highlights.
Closing the tournament, hitter Nguyen Khanh Linh received the title of Best Opposite Hitter. This is a surprise to many people. However, Khanh Linh's performance and bravery at the 2026 U18 Southeast Asian Championship have proven that the personal title awarded to her is accurate.
Khanh Linh was trained in basic volleyball at Bac Ninh unit. She started practicing volleyball in 2023 (when she was only 13 years old).
In some conversations, head coach Pham Thanh Ha of Bac Ninh women's team once assessed that Khanh Linh has a smart playing style and always resolves difficult balls to complete with effective spikes.
In the squad of 14 official players of the Vietnam U18 Women's Volleyball Team participating in the 2026 Southeast Asian U18 Championship and the 2026 Asian U18 Championship, Khanh Linh is the only player from the Bac Ninh team.
Remember in the final practice session at Bac Ninh University of Physical Education and Sports before going to Thailand to compete, Khanh Linh shared very cautiously: "This is the first time I have competed in an international tournament. I will try my best to do my professional ability.
From the gathering phase of 20 players starting training (April 2026) to the shortlist of 14 official players ready to go to Thailand to play, the coaching staff of the Vietnam U18 Women's Volleyball Team had to carefully calculate the force in the opposite hitter position.
Khanh Linh's good form shown in the group stage of the 2026 National Volleyball League A (played in Dien Bien, May 2026) in the Bac Ninh team's colors is a guarantee for the coaching staff of the Vietnam U18 Women's Volleyball Team to trust and award her a spot in the 14 official players squad.
This year, Khanh Linh will enter her 16th birthday. This hitter from Lang Son will have a long journey of development ahead to assert herself.
Possessing a height of 1m73, conversely, Khanh Linh always plays football with keen observation to choose the right time to hit the ball to attack and score points.
The title of Best Opposite Hitter at the 2026 U18 Southeast Asian Championship is a worthy professional recognition for Khanh Linh's training and competition efforts.
More interestingly, the time she participates in the upcoming 2026 AFC U18 Championship in Thailand will coincide with this young hitter's birthday (Khanh Linh was born on July 3).
