Vietnamese athletics aims for the 2026 Asian Games with impetus from a new development plan and incentive policies.

The year 2026 is considered to be a favorable year for Vietnamese athletics to aim for long-term goals, as many new investment and incentive policies for coaches and athletes have been implemented.

Maintain the pace of development and strengthen the foundation.

In 2025, the Vietnam Athletics Federation implemented all planned tasks, focusing on training, coaching, and organizing domestic and international competitions. National and youth teams maintained stable training, participating in numerous regional and continental tournaments, thereby accumulating experience, improving professional skills, and enhancing competitive spirit.

Over the past year, Vietnamese athletics has achieved many remarkable successes on the international stage.

In addition to its professional duties, the focus continues to be on discovering and training young talent, gradually building a successor pool for Vietnamese athletics. Specifically, the Federation has collaborated with the Vietnam Department of Sports and Physical Education and local authorities in reviewing the workforce and adjusting training programs to align with the long-term roadmap towards the ASIAD and the Olympics.

According to Pham The Trieu, Vice President of the Vietnam Athletics Federation, in 2025, the continued effective implementation of the Vietnam Athletics Development Plan to 2030, with a vision to 2045, will create a strategic foundation to help Vietnamese athletics gradually regain its position and improve its ranking at the SEA Games and ASIAD.

Over the past year, Vietnamese athletics has achieved many remarkable successes. At the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33) held in Thailand, the Vietnamese athletics team performed impressively, achieving its set goals and contributing significantly to the medal tally of the Vietnamese sports delegation with 12 Gold Medals, 12 Silver Medals, and 11 Bronze Medals.

At the 2025 Southeast Asian U18 and U20 Athletics Championships, the Vietnamese youth team also had an impressive season, winning 13 gold medals, 12 silver medals, and 6 bronze medals.

Besides established athletes like Nguyen Thi Oanh, Nguyen Thi Hang, and Quach Thi Lan, many promising young athletes have also shown positive signs, such as Ngoc Quynh An, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh, Luong Xuan Son, and Mai Ngoc Anh. This can be considered a good foundation for achieving goals in 2026 and the following years.

New compensation policy: Motivation for coaches and athletes.

According to Vice President Pham The Trieu, the project is being implemented effectively and yielding many positive results. However, to continue to be more effective, close coordination is needed between ministries, departments, and relevant agencies from the central to local levels with the Vietnam Athletics Federation.

The compensation system for coaches and athletes of national and youth teams has been significantly improved.

At the same time, prioritizing funding is a key factor in ensuring training and international competition, as well as investing in specialized areas such as nutrition, recovery, psychology, and the application of sports science and technology for key groups of athletes.

The key objective for Vietnamese athletics in the coming period is to achieve the targets set for the 2026 Asian Games and the 34th SEA Games in 2027. Based on this, the Federation's Executive Committee is promptly developing specific and feasible plans and solutions to realize these goals.

A key highlight driving Vietnamese athletics in 2026 is the significant improvement in the benefits for coaches and athletes of national and youth teams. In particular, the incentive policies under Decree No. 349/2025/ND-CP, issued on December 30, 2025, have considerably enhanced salaries, bonuses, and job opportunities for athletes achieving outstanding results at the Asian Games and Olympics compared to previous regulations.

According to this Decree, coaches and athletes during training camps and competitions will receive higher benefits, ensuring their living standards and professional conditions. In addition, athletes who win medals at the ASIAD and the Olympics will receive long-term bonuses and allowances, and will have the opportunity to receive support for vocational training and suitable employment after their competitive careers end.

The new policy not only contributes to improving the material well-being of coaches and athletes but also creates motivation for sports talents to confidently dedicate themselves long-term, aiming towards the great goals of Vietnamese sports on the international stage.

The Vietnam Athletics Development Plan until 2030, with a vision to 2045, aims to maintain Vietnam's position among the top two countries in Southeast Asia and the top ten in Asia by 2035; and to be among the top five countries in Asia by 2045, gradually asserting its position on the international athletics map.

Specifically, the goal for the period 2026-2035 is to be in the top 10 at the Asian Games and among the top 2 leading nations at the SEA Games. At the 2026 Asian Games, the target is to win 1 gold medal, 1 silver medal, and 2 bronze medals; at the 2030 Asian Games, the target is to win 2 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 3 bronze medals; and at the 2034 Asian Games, the target is to win 2 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals.

At the 2028 Olympics, the goal is to achieve one Olympic qualifying standard; at the 2032 Olympics, the goal is to achieve two Olympic qualifying standards. Continue to maintain the strength of the sports disciplines, review, evaluate, and promptly add athletes and events with potential, in order to identify and develop individuals capable of competing for medals at the Olympics and Asian Games.

During the period 2036-2045, the goal is to be among the top 7 at the Asian Games and among the top 2 leading nations at the SEA Games. Specifically, the focus will continue to stabilize the key sports disciplines that have already received investment in training during the 2026-2035 period, and to review, evaluate, and promptly add athletes and events with potential to identify and develop individuals capable of competing for medals at the Olympics and Asian Games.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/dien-kinh-viet-nam-huong-toi-asiad-2026-voi-dong-luc-tu-de-an-phat-trien-va-chinh-sach-dai-ngo-moi-20260120103229483.htm