Vietnam won 24 gold medals on Sunday, including one in the much-anticipated men’s football competition, finishing their 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games run at the top of the medal table with 205 golds, breaking the previous gold medal record set by Indonesia in 1997.

Thailand are second on the medal table with 92 golds, while Indonesia ranked third with 69, according the event’s official website.

Vietnam’s men’s football team defended their gold medal with a 1-0 victory over Thailand on Sunday night.  

Indonesia claimed the men’s football bronze medal following a triumph over Malaysia in a penalty shootout.

Muay and diving each won Vietnam five gold medals earlier the same day.

Vietnam clinched three boxing golds on Sunday in three women’s weight classes.

Also on Sunday, Vietnam’s aerobic gymnasts brought home two gold medals in pair and group events, while e-sports bagged another two.

Tennis ace Ly Hoang Nam defended his gold medal after beating Trinh Linh Giang, also from Vietnam, in the final.

Tran Quyet Chien, Vietnam’s No. 1 cueist and the world’s No. 3, beat fellow Vietnamese Nguyen Duc Anh Chien in the 3-cushion carom event final to strike gold.

Vietnam won gold medals in shooting and vovinam as well.

On Sunday morning, the hosts secured two cycling golds, one in the women’s individual event and the other in the women’s team category.

The 31st SEA Games, which boast 526 categories in 40 sports, are currently taking place in Hanoi and 11 neighboring provinces and cities, and will conclude on Monday night with a closing ceremony in the Vietnamese capital.

The biennial event was originally scheduled to be held from November 21 to December 2, 2021 but was postponed after Vietnam saw a flare-up of COVID-19 cases in late April the same year.

Over 7,878 athletes, coaches, and members from 11 sports delegations in Southeast Asia have registered for the event.

Vietnam’s delegation to this year’s SEA Games consists of 951 athletes competing in 508 categories, 250 coaches, 30 experts, and 46 team managers.

Team Vietnam set a target of claiming 140-150 gold medals and placing first on the medal table.

In the 2019 edition of the Games, Vietnam ranked second behind host the Philippines, winning 98 gold, 85 silver, and 105 bronze medals.

This is the second time that Vietnam has hosted the SEA Games, following its first time in 2003.

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