On the afternoon of 16/12, in the 3,000m steeplechase final, Nguyen Thi Oanh took the lead immediately after the start. She maintained her advantage throughout the race, finishing first with a time of 10 minutes, 13,75 seconds. Doan Thu Hang finished second.

This marks the third time at the 33rd SEA Games that Nguyen Thi Oanh and a teammate secured the first and second positions for Vietnam in an athletics event. Previously, a similar scenario unfolded in the 5,000m and 10,000m events, with Oanh winning gold and Le Thi Tuyet finishing second. This 15th SEA Games gold medal for Nguyen Thi Oanh concludes her competition schedule at this Games.

Nguyen Thi Oanh at the 3,000m steeplechase final, 33rd SEA Games, Spachalasai stadium, Bangkok, Thailand on the afternoon of 16/12. Photo: Duc Dong

Nguyen Thi Oanh's 15 gold medals came from the following running events: 1,500m (29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd SEA Games), 5,000m (29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd), 10,000m (32nd, 33rd), and 3,000m steeplechase (30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd). Additionally, the 30-year-old runner won one silver medal in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 27th SEA Games.

Before Nguyen Thi Oanh, only two athletes had won 15 SEA Games athletics gold medals: Jennifer Tin Lay of Myanmar and Elma Muros of the Philippines.

Tin Lay, born in 1949, won 15 gold medals, including 9 in shot put and 6 in discus throw, from the 4th to 12th SEA Games. She held the record for 18 years until Muros equaled her achievement in 2001.

Muros, born in 1967, is known as the queen of long jump, but she also excelled in many other events. She won 15 gold medals from the 12th to 21st SEA Games, across events such as long jump, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 100m, 200m, and heptathlon.

Nguyen Thi Oanh was born on 15/8/1995 in Lang Giang district, Bac Giang province (now part of Tien Luc commune, Bac Ninh province). She was twice named national outstanding athlete, in 2019 and 2022. With 15 SEA Games gold medals, she is the second most successful Vietnamese athlete in the history of the Games, after Nguyen Thi Anh Vien in swimming (25 gold medals).

The 3,000m steeplechase is considered a difficult event in athletics. Athletes must complete 7,5 laps of a 400m track, which features fixed barriers and a water jump. Each lap includes four barriers and one water jump, totaling 28 barriers and seven water jumps over the entire race distance.

This event requires athletes to combine many elements: endurance, speed, hurdling technique, and pacing ability. Maintaining long-distance stamina while accurately navigating obstacles is crucial for maintaining momentum and minimizing injury risk.

Xuan Binh