Nagoya, 20 Sep 2026 – Nguyen Hoang Minh Tan and Trinh Gia Nghi made history on September 20 by winning bronze in mixed doubles teqball, securing Vietnam’s first medal at the 20th Asian Games (ASIAD 2026) in Japan.
Vietnam opened their medal account on the morning of September 20 local time, with the breakthrough coming from teqball, a sport in which the country is making its Asian Games debut.
Minh Tan and Gia Nghi faced India’s Dsouza Joaquim and Beg Imran in the mixed doubles bronze-medal match.
The Vietnamese pair made a confident start and scored the opening points of the contest. Their understanding and coordination proved effective, with both players combining well in technical exchanges to repeatedly send the ball beyond the reach of their Indian opponents.
Minh Tan and Gia Nghi maintained their advantage throughout the opening set before closing it out 12-9 to move within one set of the bronze medal.
The second set proved more competitive in its early stages, with the Indian pair responding strongly and taking the initiative during several exchanges.
However, play was temporarily halted midway through the set after Beg Imran suffered an injury and required attention from the medical team.
The Indian player was eventually able to return and continue the match, but the interruption did little to slow Vietnam’s momentum.
Minh Tan and Gia Nghi regained control and continued to execute their game plan effectively. They gradually pulled clear of their opponents before wrapping up the second set 12-6.
The straight-sets 2-0 victory secured the mixed doubles bronze medal and made Minh Tan and Gia Nghi the first Vietnamese athletes to reach the podium at ASIAD 2026.
The result carries additional significance for Vietnamese teqball, with the national team competing at the Asian Games for the first time.
Despite making their debut at the continental multi-sport event, Vietnam immediately made an impact by securing a medal through Minh Tan and Gia Nghi.
Both athletes represent Ho Chi Minh City sports as well as the Vietnam national teqball team.
Vietnam’s teqball squad are participating at ASIAD 2026 through socialized funding rather than the regular state-funded programme, making their first medal an encouraging achievement for the sport’s development in the country.
With their bronze-medal performance, Minh Tan and Gia Nghi have not only opened Vietnam’s medal tally at ASIAD 2026 but also marked the country’s first Asian Games appearance in teqball with a place on the podium.
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