Her debut with the Japanese club will give her competitive match experience before returning to the Vietnam women’s national volleyball team for SEA Games 33 in Thailand this December.

Bich Thuy joined Okayama Seagulls earlier this month, following an underwhelming campaign with Vietnam’s Ha Hoa Duc Giang club, which finished fifth in the 2025 national championship. After nearly a month of training with her new team, Okayama Seagulls formally presented her to the media today.

According to the Japanese league schedule, Okayama Seagulls will face Denso Airybees on November 29, a match in which Bich Thuy is expected to make her debut. Her signing and imminent first match are seen as positive news for the Vietnam national team.

Vietnam coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet had previously expressed concern that the middle blocker’s lack of recent competitive play could affect her form ahead of SEA Games 33. Vietnam now has two players active in the Japanese league, Tran Thi Thanh Thuy with Gunma Green Wings and Tran Thi Bich Thuy with Okayama Seagulls, both considered key members of the squad as the team aims for a historic gold medal at this year’s Games.

Volleyball star Thanh Thuy departs for Japan's Gunma Green Wings

VOV.VN - Vietnamese volleyball star Tran Thi Thanh Thuy departed for Japan on September 5 to officially join the Gunma Green Wings Club in Maebashi for the 2025–2026 Japanese national volleyball championship.