The springtime aspirations of Vietnamese sports:

2026 is considered a particularly important milestone for Vietnamese sports, as it is both a pivotal year in the 2028 Olympic cycle and the year of the 20th Asian Games (ASIAD 20).

In the context of inconsistent performance at major competitions, the 20th Asian Games is seen as a "benchmark" accurately reflecting the strength, effectiveness of investment, and long-term direction of Vietnamese sports .

Following their recent successes, the women's sepak takraw team is expected to win the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games. Photo: Bui Luong

Rapid deployment, identifying priorities.

According to the Vietnam Department of Sports and Physical Education, in 2026, in addition to preparing for the 2028 Olympic qualifiers, Vietnamese sports will participate in up to four major international sporting events: the 20th Asian Games (ASIAD 20), the 2026 Youth Olympics, the 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, and the 2026 Asian Beach Games. Among these, the 20th Asian Games is the event receiving the most attention.

Unlike the SEA Games – where regional factors and host advantage can significantly influence performance – the Asian Games (ASIAD) is a competition where most of Asia's sporting powerhouses field their strongest teams. Therefore, the results at the ASIAD are considered a fairly accurate reflection of each nation's sporting strength, and also show their chances of competing for direct Olympic qualification, or even winning medals at the Olympic Games.

In reality, Vietnam's sporting achievements at the Asian Games have lacked consistency. Leading the SEA Games 31 with 205 gold medals, or continuing to lead the SEA Games 32 with 136 gold medals in Cambodia, has never guaranteed success at the Asian Games. Conversely, immediately after successful SEA Games, Vietnamese sports often return to the harsher realities of continental and world competitions.

At the 2023 Asian Games (ASIAD 19), the Vietnamese sports delegation only won 3 gold medals, a decrease compared to ASIAD 18. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Vietnam did not win any medals; the most notable achievement was fourth place for shooter Trinh Thu Vinh in the women's 10m air pistol event.

These figures clearly show one thing: the SEA Games are not an accurate measure of medal-winning ability at the Asian Games or the Olympics. Therefore, the goal of the number of gold medals or rankings at the 33rd SEA Games is no longer a priority for sports leaders; instead, the focus is on investing strategically in Olympic and Asian Games sports, which are considered more sustainable for high-performance sports.

In the strategy leading up to the 20th Asian Games, sports that have already established a strong position at the Asian Games and have the potential to compete for Asian medals, such as sepak takraw and karate, continue to receive high expectations. These are also the sports that brought home gold medals for Vietnam at the 19th Asian Games.

The investment problem and expectations of change.

According to Head of High-Performance Sports Department Hoang Quoc Vinh, the overarching direction of the sports sector is to improve the quality of training, education, and competition, while simultaneously promoting the application of science, technology , and sports medicine. The immediate goal is to strive to be among the top 20 delegations at ASIAD 20, improving on the ranking from 21st place at ASIAD 19.

However, experts understand that setting goals is one thing, but realizing them is a far more complex matter. The issue of funding remains a major challenge, especially for sports with limited social appeal but high potential for winning gold medals at the Asian Games or qualifying for the Olympics, such as karate and sepak takraw. Given limited budget resources, the sports sector can currently only focus on investing in infrastructure, training support, and athlete recovery. Government Decree No. 349/2025/ND-CP, which stipulates a series of new policies for coaches and athletes during training and competition periods, effective from February 15, 2026, is expected to be a significant boost for Vietnamese sports. With potential monthly incomes of 20-25 million VND from training fees, nutritional support, and international achievement bonuses, athletes can fully dedicate themselves to training and competition.

Furthermore, the remuneration system in many localities, including Hanoi, has also changed positively, allowing athletes to earn 20-30 million VND per month. Pham Anh Tuan, Head of the International Fencing Department (Hanoi Sports Training and Competition Center), believes that with the current remuneration and rewards, athletes don't have to worry about basic necessities and can focus solely on achieving international success, thereby receiving benefits from both the city and the central government.

Now, the 20th Asian Games is also being seen as a place to see how the preferential treatment from the Government and local authorities impacts the performance of athletes.

Vietnamese sports are at a crucial juncture to make a substantial shift. In this context, the 20th Asian Games is not just about achieving results, but also a test for an entire development strategy, to better understand the future of Vietnamese sports.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/khat-vong-xuan-cua-the-thao-viet-nam-tu-asiad-2026-den-muc-tieu-olympic-2028-733895.html