After winning a gold medal at the 31st SEA Games, DTU student Nguyen Huu Kim Son was determined to win another gold for Vietnam. His efforts paid off and Son and his teammates won a 4 × 200 m freestyle relay gold medal and a silver in the men’s 1500 m freestyle race in Cambodia.
Kim Son had previously won several gold medals in other sports events, with two gold medals at the 29th SEA Games in 2017 and at the 31st SEA Games in 2022. He was only 15 years old at the 29th SEA Games in Malaysia, and surprised everyone when he won the men’s 400 m individual medley in 4:22.12, which broke the previous SEA Games record of 14 years in a time of 4:23.20, set by Ratapong Sirisanont from Thailand, at the 2003 SEA Games in Vietnam.
Unfortunately, Kim Son was plagued with constant nosebleeds before this year’s 31st SEA Games. He said: “I started suffering nosebleeds about 2 weeks ago, and, two days before the competition, I bled profusely while sleeping, woke up, and my bed was soaked in blood. By then, my mental and physical health were severely affected and could have caused my performance to decline. I couldn’t use hemostatic drugs because they may have contained illegal doping ingredients.”
Kim Son (right) and his teammates receive a gold medal at the 32nd SEA Games
Because of this, Kim Son’s performance in the competition was only 90% of his potential, because the training time was too short for his team. “At the 31st SEA Games, we had more time to practice,” Kim Son explained. “We had three weeks to get used to the weather and to train in the water, which built up our confidence. In Cambodia however, we spent only one day in the pool, which put a lot of pressure on our entire team.”
However, with the determination he acquired in previous competitions, Kim Son did his best and won one gold and one silver medal at the 32nd SEA Games:
- On May 7, Kim Son shared a gold medal in the men’s 4 × 200 m freestyle relay. He and his teammates, Hoang Quy Phuoc, Nguyen Huy Hoang, and Tran Hung Nguyen overpowered competitors from many other countries. Son swam first in the relay and his team finished in a time of 7:18.51. Singapore came second, in 7:21.50, and Malaysia third in 7:21.55.
- On May 8, Kim Son’s team added a silver in the men’s 1500 m freestyle to the Vietnamese medal tally.
Kim Son competes in 32nd SEA Games
The 32nd SEA Games Vietnamese fans were overwhelmed with emotion when the national anthem was played, and the athletes stepped onto the podium to receive their medals. However, despite the glory of that moment, they were saddened when they noticed that Son was still clutching a tissue to his nose.
Kim Son explained that “Mental conditioning is a vital factor for any athlete to compete comfortably and confidently and achieve the best results. The SEA Games is a major event, where we compete not only for ourselves but also for our country. A feeling of solidarity and mutual understanding is essential, When my teammates saw me struggling with my health, they were very concerned, and encouraged me to focus on doing my very best.”
Kim Son’s lecturers and his fellow students at DTU also follow his activities and encourage him every day, especially in Business Administration. “Competing also affects my studies,” Son explained. “My lecturers and classmates always do their best to help me succeed in both.”
(Media Center)