S'porean beach volleyball player, 27, wins over Vietnam fans’ hearts at SEA Games

Singapore national beach volleyball player, Eliza Chong, won over Vietnam fans following a match against the country at the SEA Games on Dec. 12.

According to Vietnam English-language newspaper VnExpress, the 27-year-old athlete was celebrated for her charm and appearance despite her team's loss in the Group A match.

Became popular for looks and presence

In the match, Vietnam triumphed over Singapore in both rounds with straight sets, 21-15, 21-7 in the first and 21-10, 21-8 in the second.

Despite the loss, all eyes turned to Chong for her looks and upbeat presence on court in Pattaya, Thailand.

VnExpress reported that she quickly began trending on Vietnamese social media.

Images of Chong in action were reportedly widely circulated online, racking up hundreds of thousands of views and interactions within hours of the match.

Has more than 95,000 followers

According to Team Singapore, she has competed at the SEA Games since 2019.

In 2021, she finished in the top five, and placed second at the 2022 Commonwealth Games qualifiers.

Her on-court charisma has also translated into a strong online following.

Chong has more than 95,000 followers on Instagram at the time of writing.

After her match against Vietnam, supporters from the country were spotted commenting on her posts and following her account.

Top photos via @elizachong/Instagram