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| Shuttlecock Kicking - one of Hue sports’ most promising gold medal disciplines at the 10th National Sports Games 2026 |
Leap forward
The 9th National Sports Games in 2022 were perhaps the most memorable edition for Hue sports so far, as the city claimed 11 golds, along with 13 silvers and 15 bronzes, for the first time. Bui Thanh Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, noted that the 11 golds won at the 2022 Games matched the total number of golds earned by Hue sports across three to four earlier editions combined. This represented a remarkable breakthrough in achievements.
These achievements, of course, did not come by chance. After several editions of the Games that met assigned targets but fell short of potential and expectations, the provincial People’s Council (now Hue City) in 2022 approved the project titled “Development of High-Performance Sports for the 2021 - 2025 Period, with Orientation to 2030.”
The project targets a significant breakthrough in high-performance sports by prioritizing investments in sports with strong potential and advantages, as well as core sports in the Olympic Games, ASIAD, and SEA Games, alongside international, regional, and domestic youth competitions.
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| Hue’s jujitsu team is tipped to spring surprises at the 10th National Sports Games 2026. Photo: Chu Tuan |
In the 2021 - 2025 period, Hue concentrates investment on key sports disciplines, places emphasis on developing socialized sports, and competes annually in around 60 national and international tournaments, striving to earn 300 - 315 medals of all kinds, including 20 - 30 international medals, targeting 4 - 6 gold medals at the 9th National Sports Games in 2022, 3 - 4 medals at the 31st SEA Games, and 4 - 5 medals at the 32nd SEA Games.
Driven by targeted, well-directed investment and the efforts of coaches and athletes, Hue sports recorded steady progress throughout the 2021 - 2025 period. To date, the sector has not only basically met its targets but has also increased both the volume and quality of medals at major arenas. Most recently, Hue athletes secured one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal at the 2024 World Shuttlecock Championships; five gold and four silver medals at the 2025 Asian Shuttlecock Championships and Asian Youth Championships; one silver at the 2025 Asian U17 and U23 Wrestling Championships; three golds and a national record in the 70m event at the 2025 National Strong Teams Archery Championships; and a haul of 11 golds - well above the target of 4 - 6 - at the 2022 National Sports Games.
Overcoming disadvantages
Scheduled for November 2026, the 10th National Sports Games will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Dong Thap. Hue sports teams are expected to compete in 16 disciplines, including football, swimming and diving, archery, badminton, chess, Chinese chess, sepak takraw, shuttlecock kicking, athletics, karate, taekwondo, judo, jujitsu, wrestling, and vovinam, targeting 6 - 8 golds.
At this juncture, many may question why the gold-medal target for the 10th National Sports Games is set at just 6 - 8, significantly lower than the 11 gold medals secured at the previous edition. Does this suggest a decline in athlete quality?
The reason for setting the above targets is that administrative mergers have helped many provinces and cities boost both the number and quality of athletes, while Hue has remained unchanged. As a result, Hue sports face a “one-versus-three” scenario, and it remains uncertain whether even the minimum target of six golds can be met at this edition of the National Sports Games.
Being in a disadvantaged position naturally brings concern, but it does not mean that Hue sports lack the chance to continue delivering surprises at the Games. Key disciplines such as wrestling, karate, jujitsu, archery, and shuttlecock kicking have established their credentials on national, regional, continental, and even global stages, including athletes such as My Hanh, My Trang, and My Linh (wrestling); Thanh Nhi (archery); Van Suu (jujitsu); Minh Thuan (karate); and Thuy Linh (shuttlecock kicking), not to mention emerging talents who could prove to be decisive “trump cards” for sports of the ancient capital.
Prior to the 10th National Sports Games, Hue sports will join the Vietnam sports delegation at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand later this year, targeting 5 - 6 medals, including at least 2 - 3 gold medals. These athletes and disciplines provide grounds for fans’ confidence in a successful SEA Games campaign for sports of the ancient capital, thereby setting the stage for conquering new heights at the 10th National Sports Games in 2026.