Oanh (561) was shocked when the Cambodian organizers of SEA Games 32 suddenly switched the 1,500 m event, originally scheduled for Thursday, to right before the steeplechase on Tuesday, which gave her just 20 minutes to recover for the grueling latter race.
Though facing a risk of injury and failure with such a short break, Oanh decided not to give up.
The 1,500 m, which started at 5:30 p.m., was an event in which Oanh had won the gold medal the last three times. After 800 m she accelerated and broke away from the field.
She rested very briefly and then went straight into the technical area to prepare for the steeplechase at 5:50 p.m.
She was also told to go for a doping test, but she said she would do it after the race.
In the steeplechase, she went up against teammate Nguyen Thi Huong and two runners from the Philippines.
Oanh was right behind Filipina Joida Gagnao (487) for the first 2,600 m, showing incredible endurance considering what she had done just a few minutes earlier.
Her devastating kick duly came in the last 400 m and she again opened up a big gap before winning easily in 10:34.37.
Oanh celebrated her wins with the Vietnamese flag.
At last year’s SEA Games 31 Oanh had won the 1,500 m and steeplechase, the latter in SEA Games record time.
The 27-year-old won a bronze medal in the steeplechase at the 2018 Asian Games and the 1,500 m gold at the 2023 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships.
Nguyen Thi Oanh's run at the 3,000 m hurdles in SEA Games 32 on May 9, 2023.
