In the women's high jump final on 16/12, Bui Thi Kim Anh secured the gold medal at SEA Games 33 by clearing an impressive 1,86 m. This achievement marks a significant personal best for the 19-year-old athlete, who had not previously surpassed 1,80 m this year. Her performance also matches the gold-medal winning height at Asiad 19 in 2022, highlighting her potential on the international stage.

Kim Anh’s path to gold began when only she and Mariel Abuan (Philippines) cleared 1,80 m, a personal best for Kim Anh at the time. The competition intensified at 1,83 m, where both athletes failed their first attempts. Kim Anh succeeded on her second try, while Abuan knocked the bar down. Abuan's subsequent failure on her third attempt secured the gold for Vietnam, leaving Kim Anh with a largely procedural jump at 1,86 m.

Kim Anh's gold-medal winning jump in the women's high jump final at SEA Games 33, held at Suphachalasai Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand, on the afternoon of 16/12. *Duc Dong*

On her final attempt at 1,86 m, Kim Anh touched the bar, but it merely vibrated on the stands without falling. The referee signaled a valid jump, confirming her record-breaking performance. This not only earned her the gold but also broke the national youth record, previously set by Duong Thi Thao in 10/2025. "I was so focused then that I didn't notice the bar shaking," Kim Anh said after the awards ceremony. "Even now, I can't believe I conquered the 1,86 m height."

The 1,86 m mark holds significance as it was the height Safina Sadullayeva (Uzbekistan) cleared to win the gold medal at Asiad 19 in Hangzhou, China, in 2022. In that event, Sadullayeva, Svetlana Radzivil, and Nadezhda Dubovitskaya (Kazakhstan) all cleared 1,86 m but failed at 1,89 m. Sadullayeva clinched gold by clearing 1,86 m on her first attempt, while Radzivil took two attempts for silver, and Dubovitskaya needed three attempts for bronze.

While Kim Anh also cleared 1,86 m at the SEA Games, it took her three attempts, which would correspond to a bronze medal performance at Asiad 19 based on attempts. However, achieving the same height as an Asiad gold medalist, especially with a relaxed mindset after securing her gold, suggests her potential for even better results.

Kim Anh celebrates her victory. *Duc Dong*

Vietnam did not send a representative for the women's high jump at Asiad 19. Historically, at Asiad 18, Duong Thi Viet Anh participated and placed 6th with 1,80 m, while the champion Radzivil reached 1,96 m. The best performance by a Vietnamese female athlete at an Asiad was Bui Thi Nhung, who secured 4th place in 2006 with 1,88 m. Nhung also holds the national record of 1,94 m.

Kim Anh, born in 2006 in Nam Dinh (now part of Ninh Binh province), shares the surname with "High Jump Queen" Bui Thi Nhung. She began high jump training at 13 years old, progressing from school to district and provincial levels before joining the national team under coach Vu Thi My Hanh. Her future goal is to break the SEA Games record of 1,94 m, currently held by Noeng-ruthai Chaipech.

Xuan Binh