Nguyễn Thị Ánh Tuyết scored 25 goals at the IHF Nations Trophy Asia Zone 1A 2026 in Hong Kong, China, finishing as the tournament's second-highest scorer. According to Vietnam's sports authority, the Cục Thể dục thể thao (tdtt.gov.vn), figures published by the International Handball Federation (IHF) show that only Lei Ling Wu of hosts Hong Kong scored more, with 27 goals. Ánh Tuyết's scoring was central to the bronze medal won by Vietnam's women's handball team.
The road to bronze in Hong Kong
Six national teams took part. Vietnam won three of their four games, topping Group B before going out in the semi-finals. KBVN+ has set out their results from the sports authority's report:
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Group stage (Group B) | Mongolia | Won 42-16 |
| Group stage (Group B) | Chinese Taipei | Won 21-20 |
| Semi-final | Hong Kong (hosts) | Lost 21-23 |
| Bronze-medal match (18 October) | Chinese Taipei | Won 25-20 |
The narrow defeat to the hosts cost Vietnam a place in the final. In the bronze-medal rematch with Chinese Taipei, they took control and won by five goals to finish third.
From Quốc Oai to the national team
Ánh Tuyết was born in 2000 in Năm Trại village, Quốc Oai commune, Hà Nội. She tried volleyball and badminton before taking up handball at 14 years old. The authority's profile says she felt pressure and self-doubt in her early training, fearing she could not keep up with teammates, and got through it with support from coaches and teammates.
Her career milestones, as listed by the sports authority:
- SEA Games 31, held in Vietnam: her first major regional tournament, which she approached with plenty of nerves.
- SEA Games 33 in Thailand: helped Vietnam beat the hosts 24-16 in the final to retain the gold medal.
- National team: two SEA Games golds (31 and 33) and the 2025 Southeast Asian championship.
- Club: eight straight national titles with Hà Nội (2018-2025) and two National Games titles, in 2018 and 2022.
- Awarded the Labour Order, Second Class, along with several commendations from the city of Hà Nội.
Within the sport she is known as the steel rose of Vietnamese handball.
Why it matters for Vietnam
According to the sports authority, her 25 goals showed not only her finishing but also her important role in Vietnam's attack, at a tournament where the team won three games and lost only to the hosts, by two goals. The authority says the tally raises hopes that she will keep contributing to the national team at the tournaments that follow. For Vietnamese women's handball, having a player in contention for a continental scoring title is worth noting.
What lies ahead
At 26 years old, Ánh Tuyết still has plenty of room to develop, according to the sports authority. It says steady training conditions, better coaching and more international matches will be key to refining her game and keeping her contribution to the national team going.
Read more: Vietnam women take bronze at Asian Zone 1A handball event.