Top 13 Most Famous Athletes in Vietnam

Ngô Văn Kiều, born on March 25, 1984, is a Vietnamese volleyball player. He was once regarded as a phenomenon in Vietnamese sports, particularly in volleyball, earning the nickname "The Bomber" for his significant role in Vietnam's historic victory over Thailand at the 24th SEA Games. Kiều was the first Vietnamese volleyball player to be recruited by a foreign club with a salary of $3,000/month. In 2008, he joined Samator in Indonesia, securing a spot in the starting lineup as a key player.

Kiều, originally from Hà Nam, started playing volleyball late, only joining the Khánh Hoà youth team in 2001. His name became widely known during the 2007 SEA Games, where he led the men's volleyball team to their first-ever win against archrival Thailand, with a 3-0 victory. Standing at 1.96 meters, his powerful and strategic playing style earned him the nickname "The Bomber," breaking through any defense. He is also the only male volleyball player in Vietnam's history to be recruited by an international club. All of this contributed to Kiều becoming one of the greatest spikers in Vietnam's volleyball history.

Vũ Thị Hương, born in 1986, is a former Vietnamese sprinter. Due to her remarkable achievements in Southeast Asia, she earned the title of "Queen of Speed" in short-distance running in Vietnam. She retired just before the 28th SEA Games in 2015 and currently runs a sports media company that she founded. Hương's talent in athletics was discovered during her high school years, leading to her training for various competitions. In 2003, she made her international debut, winning a bronze medal in the 100m at SEA Games 22. Two years later, she became the first Vietnamese woman to win a gold medal in the 100m at the SEA Games since 1975. Despite her retirement, she is now working for the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism in An Giang and is a student in coaching at the University of Sports in Từ Sơn, Bắc Ninh.

Known as the "Queen of Speed" in Vietnam, Vũ Thị Hương has earned numerous accolades on the regional and international stage, bringing pride to herself and her country. Though she retired before the 28th SEA Games for personal reasons, her remarkable accomplishments will forever remain a point of national pride. Starting her athletics career in high school, she won a bronze medal at SEA Games 22 in 2003, followed by a gold at SEA Games 23, ending a 25-year drought for Vietnam in athletics. Her continued success included gold at SEA Games 26 and at the Asian Games, where she broke the 100m record. Hương's achievements will forever be remembered as a source of pride for the Vietnamese people.

Hoàng Anh Tuấn, born on February 12, 1985, in Quế Võ, Bắc Ninh, is a distinguished Vietnamese weightlifter. Competing in the 56 kg category, he has been a national champion multiple times. Tuấn first gained widespread attention in 2005, securing gold in both overall categories, silver in the snatch and clean & jerk at the World Junior Weightlifting Championships, a gold (overall), silver, and bronze at the Asian Championships, and silver (snatch) and bronze (clean & jerk) at the World Championships. On December 2, 2006, he earned a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, marking the first medal for Vietnam in the event.

As one of Vietnam's top weightlifters, Hoàng Anh Tuấn has consistently been a top contender, bringing home medals for the country in numerous competitions. His standout achievement came during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he claimed a silver medal in both the snatch and clean & jerk with an impressive total of 290 kg. Born in 1985 in Bắc Ninh, Tuấn has repeatedly dominated domestic weightlifting competitions and achieved great success in international events. His accolades include the 2006 Asian Games silver, as well as multiple medals at the World Junior Weightlifting Championships. With his remarkable achievements, he has become a true source of national pride for Vietnam.

Phạm Thị Kim Huệ is a renowned Vietnamese volleyball player. Alongside Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Hoa, she formed one of Southeast Asia's top spiker duos and was regarded as the queen of Vietnamese volleyball for over a decade. At just 16 years old, Kim Huệ earned a starting position at both her club and the national team. Her breakthrough moment came at the 2003 SEA Games held in Vietnam, where she established herself as one of the region's best quick attackers, known for her signature one-footed spike from position two that could break through any defense. By the age of 19, Kim Huệ was entrusted with the captaincy of both her club and the national team, making her the youngest captain in history.

From 2002 to 2007, no one in Southeast Asia could match Kim Huệ's skill in the outside hitter position or her ability to influence both a national team and a club. In 2007, she suffered a severe injury that sidelined her for nearly two years. In 2012, Kim Huệ made the decision to join the Ngân hàng Công Thương Club, ending her 16-year association with Bộ Tư Lệnh Thông Tin. Throughout her career, Kim Huệ served as captain of the Vietnamese women’s volleyball team and the Bộ Tư Lệnh Thông Tin team. She has earned a total of 6 silver medals across 6 SEA Games appearances. Kim Huệ currently holds the record as the only female volleyball player in Vietnam to participate in 17 consecutive national championships.

Đoàn Kiến Quốc was born on March 24, 1979, in Nha Trang, Vietnam. He is a former professional table tennis player who reached world rank 171 with the International Table Tennis Federation and competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics. Coming from a family passionate about table tennis, Kiến Quốc learned to hold a racket at a very young age, even before entering kindergarten. At the age of seven, he would often accompany his older brother to the local training sessions, mainly helping with collecting the balls. One day, a coach noticed his potential and invited him to join the training, marking the start of his competitive career. He began competing in provincial tournaments, including youth and junior categories, eventually moving on to national level competitions.

By 23, Kiến Quốc had already become a full-fledged professional player, participating in prestigious events such as the National Table Tennis Championships and the National Strong Teams Tournament. Despite his busy competition schedule, he only completed his high school diploma in 2003. After dedicating 20 years to Khánh Hòa, he retired from training and competition in 2009. He then joined the Petro Vietnam Table Tennis Club and was accepted into the Physical Education University in Bắc Ninh, although his frequent travel for competitions limited his academic progress. After three years with Petro Vietnam, he chose not to renew his contract, even though the club offered him the opportunity to continue as both a player and a coach. In 2012, Kiến Quốc found himself unemployed until he decided to return to Khánh Hòa in 2013, where he hoped to support his hometown and contribute to the province's table tennis recovery. During the 2013 National Table Tennis Championship, he finished as runner-up, losing in the final to Dương Văn Nam from the Military Unit with a score of 1-4. Following his performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Kiến Quốc was offered a contract to play for a club in Istanbul, Turkey, where he earned a monthly salary of $1000, with the club covering all his living and travel expenses.

Lê Tú Chinh, born on July 4, 1997, is a Vietnamese athlete. She started her journey in athletics when she was in the 5th grade, after unexpectedly winning a school race thanks to her PE teacher entering her. In 2008, during a talent search in Ho Chi Minh City's District 8, coach Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hương spotted her potential and determination, selecting her for further training. In November 2016, she became the national champion in the women’s 100 meters, clocking 11.64 seconds – the first time in 21 years that Ho Chi Minh City had won gold in the event. Early in 2017, she was called up to the national team for the first time. That June, she claimed victories in both the 100m and 200m events at the Thailand Open Athletics Championship, with times of 11.47 and 22 seconds, respectively.

At the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Lê Tú Chinh entered three events and won gold in all of them. She recorded 11.56 seconds in the 100m, 23.32 seconds in the 200m, which was her best personal time at the time, and in the 4x100m relay, where she anchored the team to a gold medal with a time of 43.88 seconds, breaking the SEA Games record. This marked the first time that Vietnam’s athletics team won gold in the relay event.

Lê Văn Công, born on June 20, 1984, was diagnosed with leg atrophy as a child due to his mother contracting dengue fever during pregnancy. Despite this, he demonstrated exceptional strength and determination to rise above his challenges. Coming from a poor family in Ha Tinh, he moved to Ho Chi Minh City at the age of 19 in 2005 to learn a trade and joined a vocational club for people with disabilities. This was when Lê Văn Công first began practicing weightlifting. Just two years later, he won the gold medal in the 48kg weight class at the 2007 ASEAN Para Games, lifting 152.2kg. In 2011, after pushing himself too hard in training, he suffered a severe shoulder injury that kept him out of competition for two years. He returned to form in 2013, capturing the gold at the Asian Championships in the 49kg category.

At the 2014 ASEAN Para Games in Myanmar, Lê Văn Công triumphed once more, claiming the gold medal in the 49kg category with a lift of 176kg, breaking the Asian record. Later that year, at the 2014 World Para Powerlifting Championships in Dubai, he won a silver medal with a lift of 180kg. His most significant achievement came when he won Vietnam's first-ever Paralympic gold medal in weightlifting, lifting 183kg to set a new personal best. After securing the gold with a total lift of 181kg, Lê Văn Công was allowed one more attempt, during which he successfully lifted 183kg, setting a new world record in the 49kg men’s category. This incredible feat was nearly four times his own body weight.

Lê Quang Liêm, born in 1991 in Ho Chi Minh City, is not only the top chess player in Vietnam but also one of the finest talents in Asia. His career is highlighted by impressive achievements, including winning the World Rapid Chess Championship in 2013 and claiming the Asian Chess Championship title in 2019. Liêm's upward trajectory continued as he triumphed twice at the Aeroflot Open and captured three titles at the HDBank International Chess Championship. His exceptional skill was evident early on when he became the World Under-14 Chess Champion in 2005 and earned numerous medals in international and Southeast Asian tournaments.

Liêm’s remarkable performance at the 2006 Chess Olympiad in Italy was pivotal in his rise to the title of International Grandmaster. At just 17, in November 2008, he competed in the World Youth Chess Championship and played a key role in propelling the Vietnamese chess team into the top 10 at the Chess Olympiad for the first time. With his talent and remarkable achievements, Lê Quang Liêm has become a symbol of Vietnamese chess and an icon in international sports, embodying perseverance and excellence.

Nguyễn Thúy Hiền, born in 1979 in Gia Lâm, Hanoi, is a prominent figure in both Vietnamese and international Wushu. Her journey began at the age of 14 when she won a gold medal at the 1993 World Wushu Championships, marking the start of a remarkable and successful career. Raised in a family with a sports tradition, Thúy Hiền began training in Shaolin martial arts at the Đức Giang School at the age of 12. Her natural talent and relentless dedication quickly set her apart from her peers, earning her multiple gold medals at national and regional traditional martial arts competitions. Thanks to the introduction of Wushu to Vietnam, Thúy Hiền trained under top Chinese coaches and soon became famous within the Wushu community. The pinnacle of her career came in 1993, when she won her first World Championship gold medal at just 14 years old, making her the first Vietnamese athlete to achieve such an honor.

Thúy Hiền's achievements didn't stop there, as she continued to excel in international and regional competitions, from the SEA Games to World Championships. Her unwavering determination and drive for victory allowed her to overcome setbacks and come back stronger, earning historic victories for Vietnamese sports. After retiring from competitive sports in 2005, Thúy Hiền transitioned to roles as a coach and referee, playing a key role in developing the next generation and promoting the sport of Wushu in Hanoi. Her dedication, perseverance, and passion have left an indelible mark on the history of Vietnamese sports and continue to inspire future generations.

Thạch Kim Tuấn, one of Vietnam's standout weightlifters, has showcased his resilience and strength with impressive achievements on the international stage. Born in challenging circumstances in Bình Thuận province, his family faced tremendous hardships, especially after his mother's tragic death in a traffic accident. Despite these struggles, Tuấn's passion and determination pushed him to begin weightlifting in 2006 alongside his older brother, hoping to escape poverty. While his brother eventually gave up, Tuấn persevered, and his dedication led him to Coach Huỳnh Hữu Chí and the Ho Chi Minh City weightlifting team.

Through relentless effort, Tuấn made his mark internationally, earning three bronze medals at the 2013 World Weightlifting Championships, three golds at the 2011 Asian Junior Weightlifting Championships, and a silver medal at the 2014 Asian Games. Overcoming a difficult upbringing, Tuấn turned adversity into motivation to succeed. His tenacity and extraordinary determination have made him a symbol of perseverance, not just in sports, but as a testament to the power of will and unwavering effort.

Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên, born on November 9, 1996, in Ba Cau Hamlet, Giai Xuan Commune, Phong Dien District, Can Tho City, is a former swimmer of the Vietnam National Swim Team and the Army Sports Delegation. At just 19 years old, she earned 8 gold medals, 1 silver, and 1 bronze for Vietnam, breaking 8 records at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore. With these 8 golds, Ánh Viên was the second-most decorated swimmer after Singapore's Joseph Schooling. She also ranked 25th in the world in the women’s 400m freestyle and 9th in the 400m individual medley. In 2015, she was promoted to the rank of Major in the Vietnam People's Army and awarded the Second-Class Labor Medal. Ánh Viên was the only athlete from Vietnam to receive special investment since the country's sports integration in 1993. Her six-year training program in Florida, USA, cost nearly 7 billion VND, and she trained in the world’s top swimming power.

However, at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Ánh Viên struggled, failing to advance past the initial rounds in her events. Reports highlighted that her performance had significantly declined, despite the over 20 billion VND invested in her training, including seven years in the United States. According to the General Department of Sports and Physical Training, her failure was attributed to having “reached her limits” and “misguided investment.” Critics also pointed to the inefficiency of her training, stating that her preparation lacked structure and that her career was overly focused on winning medals at the SEA Games rather than preparing for higher-level competitions like the Olympics or continental championships. On October 8, 2021, Ánh Viên announced her retirement to focus on her health and continue her studies, leaving the Vietnam Sports Administration surprised, especially as she was still part of preparations for the 2021 Southeast Asian Games.

Nguyễn Tiến Minh, born on February 12, 1983, is a renowned Vietnamese badminton player. His highest world ranking was 4th according to the Badminton World Federation (BWF). He made history by participating in the Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympics, becoming the first Vietnamese athlete to compete in four Olympic Games. He was also the oldest player to compete in the badminton event at this particular Olympic Games. Minh was born in Ho Chi Minh City to a relatively well-off family and took up badminton at an early age. By the age of 10, he was already winning local competitions. However, it wasn't until 2004 when he gained national recognition by winning the prestigious Malaysia Open International Championship in November of that year. Unlike many top-level athletes, Tiến Minh did not receive formal training from a young age, which often led to him struggling in high-intensity matches due to stamina issues. Nevertheless, he found his own mentors and training programs, using his natural talent to become a standout athlete in Vietnam's badminton scene.

At just 10 years old, Tiến Minh was introduced to badminton by his father, quickly developing a passion for the sport. His love for the game turned into a commitment when, at 18, he decided to pursue a professional badminton career instead of following his family’s wish for him to focus on academics. His decision proved to be successful when, in 2001, he was selected for the national team. Tiến Minh gained widespread recognition in 2002 when, at the age of 19, he defeated veteran Nguyễn Phú Cường to win the men's singles gold at the national championships. By 2002, he officially entered the professional badminton world, joining the BWF, and within just seven years, his ranking skyrocketed. From being ranked 252nd in 2002, he was among the world’s top 50 by 2006 and reached 28th place in early 2008, which secured his qualification for the Beijing Olympics. In 2019, Nguyễn Tiến Minh won a bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships, after being defeated by Kento Momota, the world’s number one player at the time.

Hoàng Xuân Vinh was born on October 6, 1974, in Sơn Tây, Hanoi, and is one of Vietnam's top shooters. He made history at the 2016 Rio Olympics by winning the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the men’s 10m air pistol event, with a score of 202.5, setting a new Olympic record. Vinh has been a consistent winner at the SEA Games, securing medals in every edition from SEA Games 21 to SEA Games 28. At the 2012 London Olympics, he finished ninth in the 10m air pistol event, and narrowly missed out on a medal in the 50m pistol event, finishing fourth, just 0.1 points behind the bronze medalist. However, he bounced back strongly by winning the Asian Championship in late 2012 and the World Championship in early 2013, both in the 10m air pistol event, becoming the first Vietnamese shooter to win both world and continental titles.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Vinh's outstanding performance in the 10m air pistol event earned him the first Olympic gold for Vietnam in the history of the Games, while his performance in the 50m pistol event brought him a silver medal. His efforts in bringing Vietnam international recognition earned him the title of “Outstanding Athlete of the Year” in Vietnam in 2016. Vinh was also promoted to the rank of Colonel in the Vietnam People’s Army in recognition of his contributions to Vietnamese sports. Unlike most shooters, Vinh took up professional shooting later in life. After graduating from the Military Engineering Officer School in 1994, he worked at Brigade 239 of the Vietnam People's Army, where his introduction to competitive shooting began. He quickly became one of Vietnam’s most decorated shooters.