The school athletics track is buzzing with excitement.

With over 2,200 athletes competing in more than 40 events over six days, the 2026 Can Tho City High School Athletics Tournament demonstrated the appeal of this sport to students of all levels in the city. Races decided by fractions of a second or jumps differing by only a few centimeters reflected the positive transformation in the development of school sports by various organizations.

Many promising young athletes will be further nurtured after the tournament.

Over the past few days, Can Tho Stadium has been buzzing with excitement as a series of fierce competitions took place in various events including short-distance running, relay races, endurance running, long jump, and high jump. All events attracted a large number of athletes, especially the 60m race for primary school students, and the 100m, 200m, and 400m races for secondary school students… each event had over 100 competitors. This number not only demonstrates the large scale of the competition but also reflects the depth and strong impact of the athletics movement in schools.

Not only has the number of participants increased, but the professional quality of athletics has also been assessed as having made significant progress. Athletes have shown consistent improvement in technique, physical fitness, and competitive mentality. Mr. Nguyen Duy Dinh, the head of athletics' professional development at the competition, commented: “The professional quality has improved significantly thanks to the high level of competition, with very close results among the athletes. Medals are not concentrated in a few units but are evenly distributed among the delegations thanks to the investment and maintenance of regular training programs in each unit.”

Despite unfavorable weather conditions, including heavy rains affecting the playing surface, the participating teams proactively focused their efforts, strictly adhering to the regulations and competing on schedule. The organization was highly praised, with over 50 referees officiating throughout the competition, ensuring fairness and professional accuracy. Furthermore, security, order, and medical services were consistently maintained at the competition venues to provide timely support to athletes, contributing to a safe and effective tournament.

Mr. Pham Hieu Thoi, the athletics coach at Vi Thuy High School (Vi Thuy commune), said: “Through this competition, the students will gain valuable experience competing against many strong opponents, which will motivate them to train harder. The coaching staff will make appropriate adjustments in tactics and physical fitness with the hope of improving their performance in upcoming competitions.”

Proof of this progress is the performance of many promising young talents. Athlete Thach Huu Tam from An Ninh High School (My Huong commune), who won the gold medal in the men's 100m race with a time of 8.77 seconds, shared: "The other competitors performed very well, so I felt quite a lot of pressure. I tried to focus on my starting technique and choose the right moment to accelerate to achieve the best result."

More than just a grassroots competition, the Athletics event at the 2026 Can Tho City High School Sports Games is considered an important platform for discovering and selecting talent for the city's high-performance sports. Through the competition, many athletes with outstanding potential have been recognized by the coaching staff of the Can Tho City Athletics team for further monitoring and training at the talent development levels.

Text and photos: HONG NHUNG

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/soi-dong-duong-chay-cua-dien-kinh-hoc-duong-a205780.html