Where do you find revelation?

Amongst rusty railings, stained rafters, stands sparsely populated by absent-minded fans cheering on the sloppy play of teams at the bottom of the standings? That’s where I found it.

To borrow a particularly evocative passage of Pessoa, last week I was feeling down: “I asked for very little from life, and even this little was denied me. A nearby field, a ray of sunlight, a little bit of calm along with a bit of bread, not to feel oppressed by the knowledge that I exist, not to demand anything from others, and not to have others demand anything from me — this was denied me, like the spare change we might deny a beggar not because we're mean-hearted but because we don't feel like unbuttoning our coat.”

Photos of the stadium taken earlier this year and published by Lao Động. 

Not to cure my state of despair, but simply because the hours must be filled some way, I ventured to Thống Nhất Stadium to take in CLB TP.HCM’s last V-League match of the year against Quy Nhơn Bình Định FC. The two teams were occupying the bottom quarter of the rankings and while I appreciate football, I don’t prioritize my fandom enough to watch much, let alone stay current with the local teams. I went out of curiosity and shame that in the past nine years, not once have I been inside. Professional sporting events in other countries cost hundreds of dollars, and I could go for free if I just picked up the complimentary tickets at a District 1 office. So, simply, why not?

Originally built in 1929 and inaugurated in 1931, Thống Nhất is the oldest stadium in the nation, even older than Hanoi’s historic Hàng Đẫy Stadium. The years are certainly showing with the recently announced planned renovation badly needed. While being surrounded by delapitation wasn’t what sparked inspiration, it didn’t displease me either. Rather, the state of disrepair was akin to the threadbare blanket one observes at a friend’s grandparents. While not specifically familiar, the condition of endured experience offers comfort. Similarly, the game itself was of little significance. While the team from Bình Định, a province I once resided in, had relegation on the line, the play was relatively lackluster. Both squads had small clusters of rowdy fans, but otherwise, the seats were mostly empty.

The phenomenon that elevated the evening to profundity began as dusk started to seep through the dipterocarp trees behind the empty stands. The large stadium bulbs burst on, and beams of white light seeped across the gathering dark. The first was a smudge of brown across my line of sight, a dirty dishrag flung from a fourth-floor balcony. Then two, three, four, five, countless fluttering plummets. The bats, likely one of three common varieties, were gobbling up the insects drawn to the lights. Hundreds of them. I suspect the players running through the lush stretch of grass were kicking up even more sumptuous bugs.

Pipistrellus bat in flight. Photo via iNaturalist.

The bats’ fluttering dives for sustenance and the unseen invertebrates’ frantic sprints to remain alive were more consequential than the drama on the pitch. That was a game; this was a life and death struggle. In a city obsessed with humanity, the scene offered an important reminder that people are only a fraction of the equation. How easily we get lost in our small preoccupations, remaining ignorant of the animals that occupy the city. Recognizing the short, cruel plights of rats, roaches, stray cats, geckos, pigeons, egrets, butterflies, and bats that populate the metropolis should cast a calm over one’s feckless anxieties. The scenes are everywhere if you care to look.

[Top image via Diễn đàn Đô thị]

The clink of cue sticks on eight-ball muffling the clank of whisky glass ice cubes and the slap of cards as boozehounds hide their addictions in the shadows of sport and hobby? Dense plumes of Bastos smoke obscuring illicit activities and immoral affairs? Are Saigon's pool halls the seedy dens of patriarchal indulgence their reputation and pop culture representations suggest?

I’m no big-J journalist, so I visited a pool hall during the Tết holiday not for any scoop, but simply because I need more hobbies. Everyone should have a pastime they cannot monetize and will never be particularly good at, an activity whose sole purpose is to provide non-destructive joy. It's worth noting that while many, myself included, use the terms pool and billiards interchangeably, particularly because most venues have tables to accommodate both, they are distinct games. 

The youthful vibes present in many Saigon pool halls. Photo via Saigon Billiards.

As a relatively young walker of the straight-and-narrow, I was not alone at the three-level District 3 pool hall. Even in the waning days of the holiday, it was filled with groups of youths sipping soft drinks and joking around without a single criminal act in sight. It was the complete opposite of what this article's top image suggests. This shouldn’t really come as a surprise. Saigon residents hunger for third-space offerings away from screens. Air-conditioned, spacious, convenient, clean, and relatively cheap, pool halls meet these needs. Recent reports in local media support my first-hand observations for Saigon and beyond. It’s not so difficult to understand why, as the egalitarian spaces offer a welcome change-up from routines saturated by coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. The game itself is at worst a nice diversion, and maybe a chance to flex that high school physics class knowledge.

The one surprise came when I looked into the history of the sport in Vietnam. While I rightfully assumed it was imported from the west, where it evolved centuries ago amongst European aristocracy, I didn’t expect it to have such a robust and enduring niche popularity. Several Vietnamese have earned accolades on the global professional circuit in recent years, as well as gotten involved in a convoluted scandal involving tournaments and overlapping governing bodies. 

Photo by Adrien Jean.

Perhaps pool halls will become part of my regular routine. Inspired by a recent Saigoneer writer’s pursuit of skateboarding, maybe I’ll delve deeper into the sport, meeting friendly, interesting people and gaining valuable life-long lessons along the way and write a Parks and Rec spotlight. Or maybe months will pass without me playing again. Regardless, I am happy to know there is a very viable option for having good, clean fun any time, day or night, waiting.

[Top image by Adrian Jean]

Usually in life, niche topics are commonly associated with unpleasant stigmas and misunderstandings — skateboarding in Vietnam is no exception. Once, I admittedly was influenced by such one-sided assumptions.

I used to believe that skateboarding is a street hobby reserved for hip-hop revelers, and for shirtless sweaty dudes who always swear on Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street. Much like the prejudiced characters we often see in the movies, I met my “comeuppance” after accompanying my friend one summer to a beginner’s skateboarding class. Even though I’m not a dude, not very street, and don’t know anything about hip-hop, I was completely enthralled by the dopamine hit the mystical sport provided me.

One of the goals I set for 2024 is to join a new sport. I envisioned playing more mainstream ones, like badminton or running, and I didn’t expect to fall in love with skateboarding. It came as a total surprise to me that even in a city as lively as Saigon, this isn’t a commonplace pastime. My friend even thought that I took up surfing (lướt ván) instead of skateboarding (trượt ván), no matter how many times I tried to clarify.

Badminton, running, or swimming? I picked skateboarding.

Digging deeper into the history of skateboarding, I discovered that, even though both were introduced to Vietnam in the 2000s, skateboarding is much lesser-known than its inline sibling, rollerblading, which has a more robust scene and many more skating venues. Despite this lack of facilities, Saigon skaters keep their passion going by gathering at public places like Gia Định Park, Khánh Hội Bridge, under the Ba Son Bridge and in front of Bến Thành Market. Nonetheless, none of these places were designed for skateboarding, exposing players to incoming traffic and pedestrians. I hesitated a lot before joining due to these risks, and started hanging out at Saigon Skatepark, an indoor skatepark in District 7, every Monday at 6pm.

The only indoor skatepark

Saigon Skatepark the only indoor skateboarding venue in Vietnam, established by a duo of skaters after running their Saigon Skateshop for 10 years. Today, the District 7 park is a well-known address for the community of skaters in the city, and even from overseas. I choose the 6pm slot on Mondays as my regular visiting time, not because I’m particularly free then, but because this period is specifically reserved for newcomers, especially female skaters.

The spacious interior of Saigon Skatepark

On your first time at Saigon Skatepark, you’ll probably need a moment to get used to the dynamic atmosphere here, filled with skaters flying and sliding in every pose on the park’s range of slopes, rails, steps and ramps. During my first visit, I thought everyone was really flying on their boards like Aladdin on his carpet, though the skaters were more stressed-looking and sweatier. Even if you’re not observing them closely, you can probably feel their efforts through the clamoring of wooden boards against concrete or metal, depending on the trick they’re trying to master.

Skaters can express their personalities via the designs and patterns of the griptape on their boards.

Thông, the co-founder and manager of Saigon Skatepark, shared with me that the idea behind the park’s Beginner’s Monday wasn’t something they started out with, as the founders were all long-time skaters, who have befriended the boards for over two decades ever since the action sport first entered Vietnam.

“Had we kept operating from the perspective of veteran players, we would not have noticed and realized the common feeling of new skaters. They’re often quite shy and reluctant when they skate in front of more experienced participants. Moreover, skating with pro skateboarders can be dangerous as each side is used to a different speed and intensity,” he told me in Vietnamese.

A good board can be determined by the quality of each component: decks, trucks, wheels, etc.

After a few Mondays at the skatepark, I could qualify as a skateboarding newbie and realize that this is a conducive environment for anyone new to the sport.

Regarding safety, the indoor space is designed to be quite friendly to amateurs. You can rent any gear you’re missing like helmets, braces for your knees, elbows and wrists. Staff members are always present to deal with urgent situations if any. Cost-wise, with just VND50,000, equal to a plate of cơm tấm, you can skate for as long as you want for the day;until you’ve burned off all the calories from that cơm tấm plate. Finally, and this is probably my most significant factor: there is no need to feel shy. During these sessions, everyone is just like you — all are starting out, so there’s no need to hesitate.

A set of safety gear includes a helmet and braces for knees, elbows and wrists.

Every skater was once a newcomer

One thing that I learned too late about skateboarding is that it’s an officially recognized sport. It’s currently a highly sought-after event as part of the Summer Olympics and even appeared in SEA Games 30, though just that once. Like most other sports, skateboarding is much more fun when there’s a community behind you. I would have given up much easier had I not had my group of friends and a welcoming place like Saigon Skatepark to practice.

Skaters at Saigon Skatepark stretch before a session.

Nguyễn Phương Thảo, one of my skate-mates told me: “Here, you only need to be brave enough to ask, no matter how silly the questions might seem, other skaters, especially the female skaters of @chiemskateclub, will wholeheartedly help out and even coach you.”

Another thing that has endeared me to my community of skaters is that the moment you pull off a trick that you’ve painstakingly trained for a long time, every person in the park, friend or stranger, will genuinely cheer you on, and clap for you, even if they didn’t actually see it.

As long as you ask, someone will help out.

I’ve accomplished another personal goal for 2024 thanks to my new connection with skateboarding: befriending more people. This is of course not reserved for skateboarding, as any sport has the potential to foster bonds between participants without much effort or commitment, as long as you keep to a consistent schedule to sustain the passion and the relationship. One of my skate-mates made it a personal goal to be able to do an ollie — leaping into the air on the board without using hands — before she gets married. And we promised her that we would practice hard so we could ollie during her wedding. Perhaps, finding motivation to exercise is simpler than I thought.

In skateboarding, falling down is a frequent event.

Skateboarding is like most other sports, as it requires time to hone the craft and to develop as an athlete. “Even though we’ve skateboarded for many years, in a badminton court, we will revert to shy newbies and will need a lot of time to train,” Thông explained. “To me, landing a new trick is just a matter of time. You’ll definitely be able to do it after 50, 100, or 1,000 tries.”

To me, the heart of any sport is always a sense of joy and community, so the act of reaching out to ask “hey, wanna skate today?” is more important than pressuring oneself to succeed at a challenging trick at all cost.

Saigon Skatepark has different opening times depending on the day. Check out the park’s official fanpage or Instagram account for more details.

Even though Vietnam’s delegation finished the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris without any medals, our Paralympics team managed to clinch one bronze from powerlifting.

According to the Paralympic committee, Saigon-based powerlifter Lê Văn Công was awarded the bronze medal in the men’s 49kg category on the first day of the lifting event on September 4, losing out to competitors from Jordan and Turkiye.

Công successfully lifted 171kg in his first round, though he faltered in the second (176kg) and final rounds (181kg). Due to a rushed timeline before the Paralympics, Công couldn’t heal properly from a previous injury while he had to concurrently compete for qualifying rounds.

“After the first life, my shoulder was already in a lot of pain. Even then, I pushed on in hope that I could increase my performance,” he told Tuổi Trẻ in Vietnamese. “During the 176kg lift, a searing pain almost made me drop my barbell. When everything was done, my right arm was completely spent, I couldn’t even hold my chopsticks. In any case, the bronze medal was still a great consolation prize.”

Catch a snippet of Lê Văn Công's medal-winning lift at 0:10.

Born in 1984, Lê Văn Công is the reigning world champion and world record holder for this event at 183.5kg, having earned a gold at Rio 2016 and a silver at Tokyo 2021.

Công’s bronze in para powerlifting was Vietnam’s first and only medal for this year’s Paralympics, meeting the target of 1 to 2 medals. A total of seven athletes from Vietnam were participating this time in powerlifting, running, and swimming.

For his bronze medal, Lê Văn Công will receive a total of VND235 million in recognition of his contribution to national sports, including VND100 million from the HCMC People’s Committee, VND85 million from the government, and VND50 million from the Vietnam Paralympic Association.

[Photo via Vietnamnet]

Back in 2018, Saigon witnessed the birth of Vietnam Pro Wrestling (VPW), the first and only Pro Wrestlers in the whole of Vietnam, and a lot has changed since then.

Trần Phong jumps on his former best friend-turned-sworn-ennemy, Damien Wolfe.

What started as a teenage dream has become a full-grown Pro Wrestling promotion with nothing to envy of its Southeast Asian counterparts. Judo mats have now given way to a proper ring that they managed to afford, thanks to a crowdfunding campaign organized by Vietnamese-American Pro Wrestler Viva Van, who used her popularity to support them in their quest to create a Vietnamese Pro Wrestling scene from scratch.

Mayhem often happens outside of the ring, for the pleasure of the front row seaters.

The roster has also become more diverse too, with three generations of wrestlers, from old school founders Rocky Huỳnh (The Awesome Taurus), Sid N’guyen (The Prince of Wrestling) and An D (The National Treasure) to the first Westerner in the team the Evil British Horror and newcomers Billy & Bobby (The Classic Night) with their slapstick.

The British Horror accidentally unleashes his secret weapon on his partner Black Orchid.

The crowd has grown too, with around 300 new and old fans of all ages gathering at each show, bringing the intensity to another level with their cheering and booing. Some wrestlers are even known to occasionally use the front-row audience members as props to knock out their opponents.

The crowd can get pretty rowdy and sometimes the fans look even cooler than the wrestlers.

Vietnam Pro Wrestling can sometimes feel like the Wild West — or is it East? To keep the shows rich and entertaining, VPW makes sure to always have plenty of surprises, with special guests and wrestlers from other new promotions coming to defy them.

For one night, VPW and Rooster Beers held a show at BLOQ in District 2.

The growth of VPW can also be measured by the international attention they are getting: some of the wrestlers have been invited to fight abroad (Singapore, Thailand, etc.); they received a 4-page feature in PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) — something no other Southeast Asian promotion has accomplished — and they were invited onto the podcast of one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, the American Canadian Chris Jericho. 

The Filipina wrestler Crystal sits on top of Singapore star Alexis Lee at VPW Burning Dawn.

The shows are great as standalone episodes, but there is much fun in following the character's efforts and evolution, in thrilling yet sometimes heartbreaking turns of events, across events. It's well worth trading some Netflix time.

Interested people can see the VPW in action, this Saturday at Vietnam Pro Wrestling: Brawl Hallows Eve and check out more photos below: 

The British Horror sets foot on Rykioh’s flat, beaten-up body while Black Orchid cheers.

A fan whispers words of support to a tired Rocky Huỳnh, the founder of VPW.

Rykioh crashes cans of beer on his way to smash them on The British Horror’s face.

A packed house at VAIB Studio (D7) looks on while An D grabs the high-flying Sid Nguyen.

Singaporean Jack Chong uses his signature pig face move on Billy (left) while Once long-haired Khoa Trương loses a HAIR VS HAIR match against Kira, who gets to scalp him on stage (right).

The crowd gathers outside VAIB Studio during the intermission .

Although pro wrestling comes from the west, the Vietnamese promotion never forgets where they’re from and they honor traditions.

Rykioh explains one thing or two about life to one half of the Venomshank twins.

An D, aka The National Treasure, finds it hard to swallow his defeat (left) while the one and only Xavier Patricks (aka X-Pat) always brings his A-game as the charismatic and emotional show presenter (right).

A third generation wrestler, ARES is the powerhouse beast to be reckoned with.

The human beast ARES triumphs over Rocky, thus winning the Heart of Darkness cup.

Rocky catches one half of Venomshank mid-air in what promises to be a painful landing.

Families of fans filed into the “Fire Pan” on September 3, wearing red, white, and black jerseys. The atmosphere hums with anticipation.

“Fire Pan” is the nickname of the Canadian International School gym, where the Saigon Heat would take on the Ho Chi Minh City Wings in the final game of the Vietnam Basketball Association's 2023 regular season.

A group of youth basketball players congregated on the concrete — already laced up, ready to go in their Nike's, rocking their black and yellow jerseys representing the SSA Elite, a youth team part of the Sports Skills Academy (SSA). Fans of all ages were seen walking up the street under bright yellow street lamps before passing through black and red banners that read the team's motto: All in Mentality. 

As the rain in District 7 promptly began at a quarter to seven, ushering all of us into the stadium, the first thing I noticed was the stands were already filled with... teddy bears. Stadium seating around the perimeter of the gym had been packed with the likes of stuffed Doraemons and Pikachus brought by fans for the game's halftime entertainment. 

Last Sunday’s night game during the Independence Day weekend determined first-round playoff pairings. The Heat entered the game tied for first with the Hanoi Buffaloes at 13 wins — a victory would solidify the Heat’s top playoff spot and build vital momentum entering the playoffs this week in Hanoi. 

Before the game started, Heat players escorted a group of kids one by one onto the court to take a photo together. They all wore the same debut bright yellow Statement Edition jerseys, glowing in unison like the street lamps lining the sidewalk outside leading fans to the action. 

The Heat won the opening tip and Captain Tim Waale got to work right away, scoring 9 of the Heat’s first 14 points, spearheading the team’s first-quarter push. “For me, it really is a team game. So sometimes some players will get more hot than others. Sometimes the man is going to be more open than the other players. So I just tried to share the ball and my teammates do the same. They saw that I was open, I was scoring so they passed me the ball, but in turn, we shared the ball with the whole team. So that's how we play well together,” said the 25-year-old Captain, who happened to also announce recently on Instagram that he will return to Fulbright University Vietnam to continue his academic pursuits as a representative of the 2027 cohort.

"Tim's the heart and soul of our team. He's a true professional. He comes early and stays late. So great game for Tim. That's kind of what we expect out of him at this point," said Coach Van Pelt.

Hassan Thomas (Lê Hải Sơn), one of the Vietnamese Heritage players recruited internationally by the Heat, followed Waale’s lead by hitting a couple of key three-pointers at the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second. The first half ended with the Saigon Heat up 52-36. 

The rain continued outside, but the real downpour occurred inside at half-time. Hoài Vũ, the team’s MC, stood at half-court next to the Heat’s tiger mascot, Ông Ba Mươi (which translates to Mister Thirty simply representing their jersey number), with a microphone in hand counting down: “5, 4, 3, 2, 1!” 

Just then, a typhoon of stuffed animals flooded the court. Dinosaurs, reindeer, Teletubbies, and Baby Sharks came flying in from all directions. Seated at the official’s table mid-court — arguably in the eye of the storm — I see a blue shark drop onto the table to my left leaving me with no choice but to join in on the spectacle of the night: The Teddy Bear Toss, an annual event celebrating the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival where fans donate stuffed animals to underprivileged kids through a partnership with the Saigon Children’s Charity. 

“Other VBA teams also do a lot in the community like school visits and things of that nature, but I definitely think that it’s one of the cool things about being a part of Saigon Heat. To know it’s not just basketball at the end of the day and we just get to play a sport for a living, but to be able to use our platform and do things like that I think is pretty cool and fun,” Van Pelt said.

Beyond partnering with Saigon Children’s Charity for the night, the Saigon Heat and SSA are a part of the MSE Group, a sports ecosystem founded in 2009, aiming to promote sports participation, especially basketball, in Vietnam. The company consists of three branches: brand agencies, sports entities such as the Saigon Heat, VBA, Vietnam University Games, and exclusive broadcast rights to market the National Basketball Association in Vietnam, plus academies like SSA. Before the game, I spoke with a Heat fan, a father whose six-year-old son is enrolled in the academy. He admitted his son was still very early in learning how to play the game, but overall has had a positive experience making friends. 

Coach Matt Van Pelt offers a unique vantage point on the value Saigon Heat and MSE bring to Vietnam. Although Van Pelt is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Vietnam has become his new home. After playing professionally in over a dozen countries around the world, using basketball as a vessel to see new cultures, he retired and began coaching four years ago — first splitting time helping out for a few hours a week at SSA, as well as working as the assistant coach for the Heat’s second championship run under fellow Michigan native Kevin Yurkus, the current director of Vietnam’s National Team. But now, after becoming the head coach for the Saigon Heat in 2021, Van Pelt still helps out with SSA and its Performance Lab sector, where he focuses on more oversight to make sure things run smoothly, but his primary focus is following his passion: being on the floor, coaching, and trying to win basketball games.

As far as growing the Saigon Heat and Vietnam’s National Team, Van Pelt notes the need to improve facility standards and further develop overall skills. “We really need more competition consistently to start at a grassroots level, like getting more tournaments, more leagues, more exposure to international competition, even if that's at the school level. So maybe we get schools from Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia nearby to come play us and vice versa. I think that is also needed, but the biggest thing is just getting more competition so it's not just working on your ball handling and shooting but kids are learning how to play right and being able to apply their skills so I definitely say more games as needed.”

And the VBA is moving in that direction. This season, the number of games increased with teams playing each other three times over the course of the season compared to only twice like before. Other rule changes from this season included teams being allowed to sign no more than one imported and two heritage players (players born in other countries but with Vietnamese ancestry) plus U-18 players being able to register (instead of U20 previously). 

Whether it’s adjusting to new rule changes, competing in different leagues, taking time to give back to the community or closing out the final half of the season, it comes down to making small but continual improvements, also known as the Japanese concept “kaizen” — the top core value of the Saigon Heat, according to Coach Van Pelt. 

“When we first got here that might have been an old school approach, like we just got to work really, really hard but now it's trying to just do something every day doesn't mean you're pushing your body crazy, but we're working smarter. Maybe it's spending a little bit extra time in the film room or just seeing where we can get an edge. I've got some good coaches that helped me too. We got a very international staff so they helped me out a lot” Van Pelt said.

Now, back to the game.

Nguyễn Huỳnh Phú Vinh, who had a monstrous performance in the Heat’s previous game with a win over the Da Nang Dragons — becoming one of only four Heat players to ever put up 25 points, 25 rebounds, and 5 assists in a game — came to life in the second half after early foul trouble with two big buckets and a block that led to layup for the VBA’s leading scorer, Kentrell Barkley. 

Down the stretch, the intra-city rivalry game swayed back and forth. Heat and Wings fans alike were ecstatic, rising to their feet and clapping game-day thundersticks, elevating the arena’s energy to a new level in the final minute of the season. 

To wrap things up, the Heat won by doing a good job sharing the ball. Waale, Barkley, Thomas, Vinh, and Tony Hoàng — who came off the bench and scored a career-high 17 points — accounted for five Heat players to score double digits, showcasing the Heat’s ability to deploy a well-balanced offensive attack. “It’s big time,” Barkley commented, “because if we have multiple guys getting double digits, it’s easier for me and Hassan so I would take that any day.”

It was veteran guard Dư Minh An, however, who sealed the Heat’s 14^th win of the season by hitting a clutch three with a half minute left in the game, pointing to his shooting arm as to remind Heat Nation: he’s got ice in his veins. With a final score of 98-91, the Saigon Heat made VBA history as regular season champions for the third year in a row, also known as a “three-peat.”

Queen’s ‘We Are the Champions’ began to play as fans from the stands walked down onto the court to congratulate the players. After patiently signing autographs and taking countless pictures, everyone gathered together to take a big group picture at center court and sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Barkley who celebrated turning 27 a few days earlier by enjoying a steak dinner and having a little bit of fun as he told me after the game. 

When asked about the end of the regular season, Coach Van Pelt shared his final thoughts: “To be honest, I'm just really happy that we stayed healthy and got the win. But we were balanced so I guess our takeaway is that we got multiple guys that I can trust off the bench and in the starting lineup. We got local guys that have been here before, right? We've been in the playoffs the last three years, four years. So they're used to this and I think we got guys who don't shy away from the moment. So I think just being able to trust my guys and go into the bench, go into rotation is what I've learned most in the last few games.” 

Basketball fandom is still in its early days in Vietnam, but anyone who attends a game will recognize there’s a lot of potential for growth. Partnerships with local charities; youth sports programs giving back to the community; teams from the north to the south recruiting overseas players and developing local talent — each development continues to attract more and more attention thanks in large part to the success of the Saigon Heat paving the way forward, with three championship titles in a row. In this year’s playoffs, the Heat will attempt to do something no other team in the Vietnam Basketball Association has done yet: win four championships in a row, or a “four-peat.” 

The Saigon Heat won their first playoff game against the Thang Long Warriors on September 7 with a final score of 89-79. For those interested in supporting the Saigon Heat’s playoff run, the team returns to the Canadian International School Arena in District 7 on September 11 at 7:30 pm for the second game in the best-of-three series. For ticket information, visit the Saigon Heat’s Facebook page.

In Vietnam, the dynamic between football and đi bão is not much different from monsoon rain and garden mushrooms.

For 11 days this month, the 31^st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) took place in Hanoi, drawing in thousands of athletes and spectators from across the region. The last event of the tournament was the final men's football match between Vietnam and Thailand at Mỹ Đình Stadium, a nail-biting mano-a-mano between two of ASEAN's strongest teams.

A world-class header by forward Nhâm Mạnh Dũng at the 83’ mark drove the entire country into a frenzy as it sealed the fate of Thailand as the tournament's silver medalist. Vietnam eventually won 1-0 and our streets started to rumble with an exuberant stampede of gleeful supporters.

From Hanoi to Saigon, congregations of fans poured into the streets, brandishing vuvuzelas, drums, pots and pans; bringing along children, flags, and even pets to immerse in the raucous display of nationalism that is đi bão.

If you don't follow sports or are someone who deeply values quietude, this celebratory commotion might be hard to understand, especially when it clogs practically every major city artery and fills the night with loud noises.

Yet, for many Saigoneers and Hanoians, the football victory was the perfect occasion to revel in life and bask in one another's resonating joy (and perhaps body odor), especially after two years of anxiety and despair, when mere proximity to another human being could lead to grave consequences.

Saigoneer's photographers were among the bão crowd on the streets of Hanoi and Saigon on Sunday; here's what our lenses captured:

Bão in Hanoi

This truck is on fire-uhhhh.

Vuvuzela were a hot commodity for one night.

An entrepreneurial spirit.

This impromptu production of Les Miserables might not comply with the child labor code.

The sign says "no parking," but does it count if you just stop driving to wave a flag?

There might not be a dress code to đi bão, but we're pretty sure both these cases are under- and overdressed for the night's activities.

It's recommended by doctors to routinely air out your underarm perspiration for every 10 yells of "Việt Nam Vô Địch!"

Bão in Saigon

I spy something yellow.

Look, it's the Saigon Botany Collective in the crowd.

"I am but a hapless feline, living a life constantly subjected to ill-advised ministrations by lowly humans. Put me down or I solemnly swear to embellish your chamber with excrements tonight." (But seriously - please don't take your cat to đi bão.)

It's always good to stay hydrated, even while you're climbing on vehicles in public.

One of the biggest health risks in public crowds is flatulence.

The only flaw in this image is the fact that they didn't color-code the dog. 9/10 good puppy, but lackluster team spirit.

How to keep a flag while zooming down the street on a motorbike.

As long as the color scheme matches, if you wave it fast enough, perhaps no one will notice?

The closing ceremony, which took place last night, May 23, officially marked the end of this year’s Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).

Planned for May 2021, the 31^st SEA Games were postponed to 2022 as all participating members were ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic last year. This is the second time Vietnam has hosted, with sports events in Hanoi and nearby provinces. There were 526 events spanning 40 sports.

The Vietnamese delegation finished this SEA Games with a historic 205 gold, 125 silver, and 116 bronze medals, a level of success that was unexpected even for organizers. The figure smashed the previous record of 194 golds held by Indonesia at the 1997 SEA Games in Jakarta.

Athletics and swimming were the most victorious disciplines at 33 gold medals in total, accounting for nearly 20% of our gold haul. Outside of the two, gold medals from Olympic sports make up over 30% of the total number.

Thailand came second with 92 golds, 103 silvers and 136 bronzes, followed by Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei and Timor Leste. All countries have at least one gold except for Timor Leste, which took home 3 silvers and 2 bronzes.

On May 23 morning, Head of the Vietnam Delegation Trần Đức Phấn held a press meeting to discuss our performance at the 31st SEA Games. He acknowledged that sports authorities were astonished by the unprecedented success of our athletes.

“When our technical department did pre-games assessments based on our strengths and the regional sports landscape, we predicted 145—185 gold medals,” Phấn explained at the meeting. “Still, the surprise came after our athletes did really well in some events because they could compete on home ground.”

He also credited the plentiful gold haul to the uninterrupted and consistent training by Vietnamese delegates during the past years, while many regional athletes might be more significantly affected by the pandemic. Moreover, Vietnam’s team morale was high thanks to the home advantage and ample support from local fans.

In SEA Games history, it’s common for hosting nations to emerge with the top amount of gold medals due to a range of reasons; the Vietnamese delegation also snagged the first position when we hosted in 2003.

However, Phấn also stressed that our recent victory at SEA Games is not reflective of future performances at bigger arenas like the upcoming Asian Games or the Summer Olympics.

“Even with that many golds at the SEA Games, we only aspire to get 3–5 gold medals at the Asian Games. Before the Asian Games 2022 were delayed, we built a plan to focus our investments on a small group of 30 athletes,” he added. “At Asian Games and the Olympics, our medal haul is always smaller and our ranking lower than Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, because they heavily invest in their strongest sports.”

Originally scheduled to take place in September 2022 in Hangzhou, China, the Asian Games 2022 were postponed due to the pandemic. A new date hasn’t been announced at the time of writing.

[Photo: Runner Quách Thị Lan celebrates after winning her first gold for the Vietnam delegation. Lan eventually finished SEA Games with 2 gold medals/Photo by Hoàng Triều via Người Lao Động]

After a gold medal in men’s football last night, Vietnam ended the SEA Games 2021 with a historic medal haul and successfully defended our reign in both men’s and women’s football.

Even if you don’t follow national sports news, you probably have heard — quite literally, as people poured into local streets to đi bão — about Vietnam’s victory in the final of men’s football last night. On May 22 at Mỹ Đình Stadium in Hanoi, our U-23 men’s football team defeated Thailand 1-0 thanks to a header by forward Nhâm Mạnh Dũng at the 83’ mark.

This is the second time Vietnam has won the gold medal in men’s football during the SEA Games; the first was back in 2019 as part of the last SEA Games in the Philippines. However, this year’s tournament saw the best performance from the men's team as they won five games, tied one and had no losses while not letting opponents score any goal.

The win against Thailand was a particularly poignant farewell gift for the team’s South Korean coach, Park Hang-seo, who will stop coaching the U-23 team to focus fully on the national team. He will be replaced by his countryman, Coach Gong Oh-kyun, starting from the Asian U-23 Cup 2022.

Following the gold medal, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) announced it would give the team VND2 billion in bonuses, in addition to the VND100 million from the SEA Games organizers for the top team. After beating Malaysia in the semifinals, VFF already promised a VND1 billion as a bonus for the U-23 team, while a private donor awarded the footballers VND300 million.

These cash prizes so far have amounted to VND3.4 billion for this victory, though more might be coming in the near future.

It’s been a jubilant two days for football fans in Vietnam. On Saturday, May 21 at Cẩm Phả Stadium in Quảng Ninh Province, the women’s football team also triumphed against Thailand 1-0 to win the gold medal after Captain Huỳnh Như scored at the 59’ mark.

Như only amassed two goals during this SEA Games, but they were both crucial strikes that brought the team to victory. The other was in the semifinal match against Myanmar, which we also won 1-0. This is Vietnam’s third consecutive and 7^th overall gold medal in women’s football in SEA Games history.

For their gold medal, VFF will award the team VND2 billion, while Quảng Ninh authorities said they will give the team VND1 billion. So far, by defeating the Philippines in the group stage, Myanmar in the semifinals, and Thailand in the finals, Vietnam’s women’s football team will stand to receive VND6.6 billion in bonuses from VFF, Quảng Ninh Province, and the private sector.

[Photo: Football fans in Hanoi đi bão to celebrate the men's football team's victory.]

To date, only four Vietnamese are reported to have successfully reached the tallest point on Earth.

As Vietnam News reports, Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã recently became the first woman from Vietnam to reach the summit of Mount Everest, Earth’s highest mountain above sea level (8,848.86 meters). Also known as Celine Nha Nguyen, she’s a lawyer from Saigon who was part of the Seven Summit Treks Everest Expedition 2022.

Thaneswar Guragai, manager of Seven Summit Treks, confirmed with the news agency that she arrived at the summit at 3:30am local time (4:45am Vietnam time) on May 16. Before Nhã, Bùi Văn Ngợi, Phan Thanh Nhiên and Nguyễn Mậu Linh were the first Vietnamese people to reach the peak in 2008, all are men. Coincidentally, Nhiên also climbed Mount Everest for the second time this year.

Nhã (fourth from left) and the Everest expedition 2022. Photo via Facebook page Seven Summit Treks Pvt. Ltd.

Nhã is no stranger to mountaineering, having conquered a number of summits over the years. Most recently, she reached Mount Vinson of the Vinson Massif, the highest peak in Antarctica (4,892 meters), back in January. She’s expressed interest in climbing all of the world’s Seven Summits, a moniker that climbers give to the highest points on the seven traditional continents.

The arduous months-long process was made possible thanks to crucial help from local sherpas. They are members of a Nepalese ethnic group living in Tibet and regions surrounding the Himalayas. Sherpas are sterling climbers with incredible knowledge of their home mountains, superior strength and adept acclimatization to the conditions at high altitudes.

Spring is the best season for climbing in Nepal as the temperatures are warm enough for mountaineers to endure, but not as hot as the summer heat which melts ice on the mountains, posing grave risks. The spring climbing season usually only lasts from March to the end of May.

[Top photo: Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã during her trip to Antarctica/Vietnam News]

In a rare moment of levity, a SEA Games proposal tied everything up in a neat bow after a medal-packed day for Vietnam.

On May 15, the second day of track and field events at the ongoing 2021 SEA Games, Vietnam was particularly victorious, raking in five gold medals. In the evening, Hải Dương-born Nguyễn Tiến Trọng clinched the country’s last gold of the day in men’s long jump with a mark of 7.8 meters. The figure wasn’t Trọng’s best either, as he currently holds the national record at 7.98 meters.

Following the award ceremony, Trọng did the unexpected: he walked right up to his girlfriend, Nguyễn Thị Phương Trinh, in the audience, dropped down on one knee, and pulled out a ring. She said yes to the proposal, fortunately, and the couple shared an embrace. The moment was captured by sports media and quickly went viral on the local cybersphere.

The proposal captured by a fancam.

Trinh is also competing for Vietnam as part of the national sepak takraw women’s team. After three days of the tournament, the team has won against Malaysia and Laos, but lost to Thailand, winning a silver medal for Vietnam.

According to Trọng’s teammates, he had been planning the proposal for a long time. He set a goal to get gold at the SEA Games and propose to Trinh right after the award ceremony. Luckily, the long jumper succeeded, and their future children — should they decide to have them — will beat every other kid in đá cầu and nhảy dây.

Nguyễn Thị Phương Trinh (left) during a sepak takraw match of SEA Games. Photo by Minh Tân via Thanh Niên.

At 1.93 meters, Trọng is one of the tallest athletes on the national team. Tuổi Trẻ reports that, to support their son and nephew, his family rented a bus to ferry the entire 20-member "clan" from Hải Dương Province to Hanoi. Trọng’s parents are farmers and initially did not support his aspirations in sports, fearing that being a professional athlete on the national roster might be too arduous for young Trọng.

Nguyễn Tiến Trọng's gold medal-worthy jump. Photo by Minh Ngọc via VTC News.

According to Nguyễn Thị Đoàn, Trọng’s mother, when he was 13 years old, he often left home to train for track and field, and eventually joined the military’s sports team.

“When he joined sports professionally, we thought that he wouldn’t be able to find a wife because no one would want a spouse who can’t support the household,” she said in Vietnamese. “But he was so passionate, so every family member supported him so he could contribute to Vietnam’s national sports. Today, he got a gold medal, and we are overjoyed.”

[Top photo via Kinh Tế Đô Thị]

The 31^st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), set to take place in two months, have faced a number of hurdles since it was announced years ago.

In 2019, Vietnam approved Hanoi’s bid to host the next SEA Games, marking the second time the capital has organized the regional sports championship since 2003. Hanoi will share hosting duties with a number of nearby provinces.

Also known as SEA Games 2021, the event was due to take place last year, featuring 40 sports, 526 events, and over 10,000 participants. However, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on Southeast Asia last summer, so in July 2021, the Southeast Asian Games Federation decided to postpone the games to April or May of 2022.

Eventually, it was confirmed that SEA Games 2021 will take place in May, with the opening and closing ceremonies held on May 12 and 23, respectively, at Mỹ Đình Stadium in Hanoi.

With less than two months before the events begins, the SEA Games have been making the rounds on Vietnam’s cybersphere recently, though for all the wrong reasons. Snippets of the tournament’s branding elements have surfaced online over the past two days, with netizens picking apart the many flaws.

Apart from voicing their personal opinions regarding the use of color and the design style, many pointed out some glaring typographic errors in the mockups, including “cerfififate” (certificate), “athele” (athlete), and “venus” (venues). Another point of contention is the “st” portion of the text “31^st SEA Games Viet Nam 2021” in the official logo, which seems to have a different typeface compared to the other letters.

At the time of writing, Saigoneer was able to independently verify that these inaccuracies exist in a file obtained from the website of the Vietnam Sports Administration. However, the uploaded file was last modified on March 7, so it is possible that the spelling mistakes and font inconsistency have been fixed since then.

After the branding images went viral on Facebook, the information and communication subcommittee of SEA Games 31 issued an official statement saying that the comments regarding the event’s brand identity package are “subjective, one-sided, and malicious opinions by a group of individuals on social media.” The committee added that it would collaborate with government cybersecurity agencies to deal with those who propagated such opinions.

In an interview with Lao Động newspaper, an unnamed representative from the Vietnam Sports Administration said regarding the alleged errors: “These are all incorrect information. Maybe those are from a draft and not a final version, we don’t know where they [the images] come from.”

The representative added that the SEA Games organizing committee has only released official information regarding the theme song, logo, and competing sports.

“Of course, the organizer and other subcommittees will send instructions to localities on how to decorate and arrange their facilities via internal publications, but really there isn’t any approved design with such inaccuracies,” the representative explained in Vietnamese. “At the moment, the communication subcommittee and other related entities are verifying information published online.”

This is not the first time that the SEA Games 31 sparked a furor online when it comes to design. After the official mascot, which was inspired by the endangered sao la, was unveiled in 2020, it ignited a barrage of criticisms, so much so that a challenge among local designers and illustrations was started to give the mascot a makeover.

[Top image via Báo Chính Phủ] 

Việt Nam Cố Lên!

While Vietnam's men's football teams have inspired numerous waves of đi bão in recent years, the men's national team will be watching the next World Cup from the same location as the rest of us: the couch.

The women's team, meanwhile, punched their first-ever ticket to the Women's World Cup in 2023 by beating Chinese Taipei 2-1 on Sunday. This is the farthest a Vietnamese football team has ever progressed on the global stage. 

According to VnExpress, Vietnam opened the scoring thanks to a goal by Chương Thị Kiều in the seventh minute of the match, which was played in Mumbai, India. 

Chinese Taipei tied things up in the 50th minute, and Vietnam responded six minutes later with a goal by Bích Thùy. The squad held on to their 2-1 lead through the end, and are on their way to next year's Women's World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. 

Vietnamese coach Mai Đức Chung told the media after the match that "No words can describe the joy I am feeling right now." 

Incredibly, the women's team secured their historic win while being heavily shorthanded: VnExpress adds that numerous players were unable to fly to India after contracting COVID-19 during training in Spain, and Vietnam was even at risk of dropping out of the tournament. 

The Vietnam Football Federation, the Vietnamese government and a number of local businesses awarded the team nearly VND10 billion (US$441,000) for their achievement. However, it initially appeared that neither the government nor the private sector would sponsor the women’s team to travel back to Vietnam, though the men’s team has flown back on private jets following international victories. The women’s team had planned to take multiple connecting commercial flights from Mumbai, but this afternoon Bamboo Airways announced that they would fly the squad directly from India to Hanoi on February 10.

The 2023 Women's World Cup begins on July 20 of that year, with Vietnam's eventual opponents still to be determined. 

[Top image via Sao Star VN]

Next step: finding a practical application.

Vietnam's famous acrobat brothers, Giang Quốc Cơ and Giang Quốc Nghiệp, set a Guinness world record in Spain on Thursday by climbing 100 stairs in 53 seconds with Nghiệp, who is32 years old, upside down, balancing his head atop the head of his 37-year-old brother. The pair braved cold and icy conditions, lingering injuries and COVID-19-related lack of practice time to do what no pair had ever done before, much to the thrill of gathered fans from Spain and Vietnam. 

Video via Sputnik Việt Nam YouTube.

The Circus Arts Foundation invited the pair in November, but because social distancing had resulted in them not having practiced together for months, they originally did not think they would do it. Yet, Cơ explains: "It is a rare chance which could be once in lifetime, so we didn't want to miss it. It is another opportunity to shine, for us, and for Vietnam. So we decided to take the challenge."

To prepare for the absurd act of balance and physical precision, the pair known globally as the Giang Brothers practiced for up to six hours a day. Saint Mary's Cathedral in Girona, Spain went so far as to add 10 steps to their entrance to allow for the record attempt. Cơ explained to VnExpress: "The new steps [had] a different height and material compared to the 90 existing ones. We did not have the chance to practice on these 10 steps in advance."

Their previous record of 90 steps in 50 seconds was set on December 22, 2016 at the Cathedral of Girona in Catalonia, Spain. Before that, the record had been set at a distant 25 steps by a Chinese duo. However, in 2018, Peruvian acrobats Pablo Nonato Panduro and Joel Yaicate Saavedra climbed 91 stairs to snag the record. 

Two years after their first record-setting feat, the brothers' fame increased thanks to a judge-wowing turn on Britain's Got Talent after over a decade of domination in the local circus scene and contests abroad. At Britain's Got Talent, they performed their balancing act blindfolded and on wobbling steps, securing them a finish in the top five.

As with most daredevil acts, the brothers face serious risks. Nghiệp says: "Doctors said next time I fall, I could break my neck. I sometimes thought that I could not continue any longer. However, circus is our passion and we set high targets. We have to live with injuries and pain while overcoming fear and danger. To be successful everyone must try hard, sacrifice and try our best. I want to prove to everyone in the world that human possibilities are endless."

[Top photo via Thanh Nien]

A faux pas relating to the national anthem before a football match yesterday has angered millions of Vietnamese fans.

Last night, December 6, a group stage match between Laos and Vietnam as part of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 took place at Bishan Stadium in Singapore, reports Tuoi Tre. The game was aired live on both national television and YouTube.

When it came time to play the national anthems of the teams, online viewers quickly noticed that the stream’s sound was muted and a disclaimer appeared in Vietnamese on the screen: “Due to issues relating to music copyrights, we have to mute the audio of the flag ceremony. After the ceremony, the audio will return, we seek your understanding.”

The audio stream for television spectators, however, was not altered. Next Sports, a local sports media company, owns the rights to broadcast the tournament live on YouTube.

The disclaimer in Vietnamese.

The copyright issue reportedly annoyed many Vietnamese football fans, who felt that it was inappropriate for any media entity to place claims on a national song, a supposedly public domain asset.

Lê Hoài Anh, secretary-general of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), has acknowledged the incident, though he said that such a hiccup has never occurred before. “We are investigating the process behind this,” he explained. “Firstly, VFF will deal with it by sending a new recording of the Vietnamese national anthem to the organizers of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020. This version has been used in many national ceremonies.”

Vietnam’s national anthem is ‘Tiến Quân Ca’ (Army Marching Song), composed by Văn Cao in 1944. Following his passing in 1995, Cao’s family decided to gift the copyrights to the song to the Vietnamese government. The legal rights to the song are managed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

This is not the first incident involving the national anthem and copyright issues. Last month, BH Media, a Hanoi-based media agency, ignited debate after many videos on YouTube featuring the anthem were taken down due to BH Media’s copyright claim on the song. State broadcaster VTV first reported the scandal after two of its own clips featuring national funeral services were removed for copyright violations.

In a heated bout that lasted all ten rounds, Nguyễn Thị Thu Nhi bested Etsuko Tada and walked away with the World Boxing Organization (WBO) title in the mini-flyweight division.

Taking place just one day after her 25^th birthday, Nhi was considered the underdog in the match, with less experience and lower ranking compared to then-champion and top-ranked Tada. Despite her shorter stature and young age, she pulled out a close 96-94 judge's decision.

"This is a meaningful victory, to become the first female boxer in Vietnam to win a WBO World belt. I didn’t expect that I’d come this far. I have realized my dream after putting all of my passion and strength into this fight as a Vietnamese citizen. This is a victory for the Vietnamese martial arts scene," Nhi said after Saturday's fight. 

Nhi's path to the pinnacle of the sport is inspiring. She grew up in a dilapidated District 11 home with her grandmother and had to help the family earn money by selling food and lottery tickets on the street. She fell in love with martial arts at age 14 and then transitioned to boxing at the advice of her coaches. She won multiple national gold medals as an amateur and moved into professional fights in 2019 when she joined Saigon's CLB Buffalo boxing club. 

In February 2020, she beat Thai boxer Kanyarat Yoohanngoh to claim the WBO Asia-Pacific champion belt. The victory made way for her to take on Tada for the worldwide title.

Now that she holds the WBO belt, boxing insiders say she will have many opportunities to defend her title around the world.

[Photo via Bao Quang Ngai]

Citing a desire to spend more time with her family and a drop in her performance, Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên reportedly reached the decision after returning from the Tokyo Olympics this past summer. 

The 24-year-old is Vietnam's most decorated swimmer with 25 SEA Games golds medals, two bronze medals at Asian Games, appearances in the past three Olympic games and many national records and accolades. 

Zing reported this week that after finishing 26^th out of 29 athletes in the 200-meter freestyle and last in the 800-meter event at the Tokyo games with times well below her best, she sent a letter of resignation to the national team. The decision is still subjected to approval by the Vietnam Sports Adminstration, which has said that it will try to encourage Viên to stay.

According to Võ Quốc Thắng, director of the Ho Chi Minh City National Center for Sport Training, Viên expressed interest in finishing her last year of college at the HCMC University of Sports and spending time on her personal life in her letter.

"In a meeting with center administrators, Viên said that the decision came after very serious consideration and wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thought," he explained. "She has dedicated her entire youth to the development of Vietnam's swimming and sports. She doesn't want to hinder young swimmers, especially after she turns 25, when further improvement will be limited and her performance has started to falter through the years."

Authorities had hoped that she would remain on the team through the next SEA games in 2022, and suggested that perhaps this retirement will not be permanent as she previously announced retirement in 2020 but had a change of heart. Reportedly the government has invested over US$1 million in her training over the years and had higher expectations for her international results.

[Photo via Nhan Dan]

In skimpy shorts, menacing facepaint, and sometimes even impressive props, members of the Vietnam Pro Wrestling (VPW) club engage in energetic “battles” that incorporate flying acrobatics and dynamic feats of strength.

Professional wrestling is an established performance art in its birthplace in Europe. In the United States, the formation of the World Wrestling Entertainment company turned the spectacle into a lucrative industry. Elsewhere, Mexico and Japan have also seen successful localization of wrestling events into their own leagues.

Rocky Huỳnh (in yellow) during a match.

The performance art is very new to Vietnam, mostly because not many are aware of its existence, and some are still confused by its nature. According to Rocky Huỳnh, a founding member of VPW, local pro-wrestling enthusiasts use the term “đô vật biểu diễn” to emphasize the showmanship aspect of the events. Not to be mistaken with mixed martial arts (MMA), which is a competitive combat sport, fights in professional wrestling are choreographed in advance to ensure the safety of participants.

Rocky and his team members usually craft a script beforehand, including storylines like a long-standing “beef” between him and Sid Nguyễn. The narrative is high on melodrama, with a sprinkle of cheesiness, but it is successful in attracting new viewers. Combat moves are practiced thoroughly before fights to perfect their form to be as visually appealing as possible, and to minimize injury during actual matches.

The poster for the match between Rocky and Sid.

Rocky shares that when it was first founded, the club only had five members, but after two and a half years, he’s now training the fourth cohort of performers. VPW matches are highly entertaining and, until the pandemic, were usually filled with audience members soaking in the high-adrenaline kerfuffles.

Have a glimpse into the world of local professional wrestling below:

This video feature was created by Saigon Laca in collaboration with Saigoneer.

There is more to life than ball.

In a move that shouldn't surprise anyone, on August 28, the Vietnam Basketball Association (VBA) posted on their Facebook page that they were canceling all games and activities for the remainder of 2021. 

For more than 70 days, VBA players, coaches, referees and staff have been in Nha Trang in semi-isolation to prepare for regular-season games, as well as other activities to promote youth recreation. All events were to take place without spectators and be broadcast on television and online.

The so-called "bubble" in Nha Trang involved frequent testing and quarantined living arrangements. While the games have been taking place without major issues, the decision to cancel the season was made, according to the announcement, due to logistical constraints relating to contract duration with foreign experts, referees, coaches and players.

According to Vietnam News, the last game in the now-cancelled season took place on August 16, when the Thang Long Warriors beat Nha Trang Dolphins 80-71 to clinch a spot in the semifinals. The other three playoff spots were still undetermined.

Even before the current COVID-19 outbreak, the league's regular play had been disrupted. The 2020 season was repeatedly delayed and when it finally debuted in November, rather than traveling between the team's five home cities as normal, all games were played in a District 12 movie studio in Saigon. Even without active community cases of the virus at the time, attendance was strictly limited and a variety of safety measures were in place.

While necessary, the decision to suspend the current season comes as a setback to a league that has been steadily growing in popularity since its founding in 2016. The league originally began with only five teams, but last year it added its seventh: the Nha Trang Dolphins.

If recent developments in Vietnam’s COVID-19 outbreak have dampened your spirit, here’s a wholesome pick-me-up.

Vietnam’s cybersphere has been circulating a photo in the past few days showing a man in sportswear drenched in sweat next to a young woman dressed in a bridal gown. Behind the seemingly random image is the sweet romance of Danh Tùng and Lê Trang, residents of Thanh Hoa Province.

At 4am on July 11, Tùng had already woken up to prepare for perhaps the greatest race he ever finished in his life. The route spanned 19 kilometers from Quang Xuong District to Hoang Hoa District, where Trang lives. After one hour and forty minutes, he arrived at the destination, running past open fields, commercial streets and throngs of morning traffic

Tùng on his way to the wedding.

The image was taken at the moment when he completed the run. “This đón dâu challenge was set by my wife. It’s also something I’ve been meaning to do for a while as a present to my better half,” he told Zing in Vietnamese. “Running 19 kilometers is not hard for me because I practice this frequently. On average, I run 80 kilometers a week. Nonetheless, this will always be an unforgettable memory for our wedding day.”

Following a short rest, Tùng showered and changed into his suit, which was brought over to the bride’s house by friends. Then, they were wedded. Because of the ongoing pandemic, the ceremony was small, with only family and a few close friends attending.

According to Tùng, they are both avid runners and members of the community called Thanh Hóa Runners. It was through marathons that they got to know each other and fell in love.

The running club at the finishing line of the charity run in 2020 that brought Trang and Tùng together.

In June last year, he was part of a 10-person team participating in an intra-Vietnam run from Lang Son to Ca Mau to raise funds for charity. Trang also joined, but as a member of the supporting crew. In 184 days, the run was successfully accomplished with amazing financial results: “We undertook the project to raise money to give underprivileged children money for free cleft palate surgeries. After that, over 100 kids received the operation,” Tùng explains.

For him, the journey was also a personal win, as the pair made many invaluable memories together. The second leg from Hoa Binh to Thanh Hoa ended late in the evening, so Tùng took a ride on Trang’s motorbike to the rest stop.

“I was exhausted after the leg and was so sleepy that I almost fell off the bike many times. Still, she was adamant in not allowing me to hug her,” he reminisced.

[Photos via Web The Thao]