Nguyễn was a competitive swimmer in her youth, and later started practicing shaolinquan for a year in 1991. The following year, she was selected by the Hanoi Department of Physical Education to join the first wushu class in Vietnam despite being married and a factory worker.
Nguyễn made her international debut at the 1993 Southeast Asian Games where she won a bronze medal in jianshu. Two years later, she competed in the 1995 World Wushu Championships and won a silver medal in jianshu and a bronze medal in daoshu.[1] Wushu was later re-introduced in the 1997 Southeast Asian Games and Nguyễn won the gold medal in nanquan and a silver medal in qiangshu. Shortly after, she was a triple medalist at the 1997 World Wushu Championships, winning a silver medal in jianshu and bronze medals in nanquan and qiangshu.[2] Two years later, she was the first world champion in nangun and won a silver medal in nandao and bronze medal in nanquan at the 1999 World Wushu Championships.[3] At the 2000 Asian Wushu Championships, she won gold medals in nandao and nangun and a silver medal in nanquan and won the all-around championship for female nanquan.[4] At the 2001 Southeast Asian Games, Nguyễn won a gold medal in nandao and nangun combined and a bronze medal in nanquan. Her last competition was the 2001 World Wushu Championships, where she won silver medals in nanquan and nangun and a bronze medal in nandao.[5]
In 2003, Nguyễn became the coach of the Vietnam National Youth Wushu Team. In 2007, she became the national team coach.
