Vietnam claimed their first gold medal of ASIAD 2026 on September 22 as Nguyen Ngoc Tram, Bui Ngoc Nhi and Hoang Thi Thu Uyen produced a commanding performance to defeat Iran 5-0 in the women’s team kata final, successfully defending Vietnam’s Asian Games title in the event.
Competing at Toyohashi Gymnasium, the Vietnamese trio faced Iran’s Sadeghi Dastak Fatemeh, Hosseini Zeynabalsadat and Amini Soumeh Kabodin Depideh in the gold-medal contest. Iran entered the final as formidable opponents after maintaining impressive form throughout the competition. The Iranian team selected Papuren for their final performance and delivered a determined, well-synchronized routine, but Vietnam responded with an outstanding display of their own.
Ngoc Tram, Ngoc Nhi and Thu Uyen chose Tomari Bassai for the decisive contest and impressed with a combination of powerful, sharp movements and excellent synchronization. Their performance retained the fluidity and technical precision required in kata while also demonstrating strength and control. The Vietnamese trio were particularly impressive during the bunkai, the practical demonstration of kata techniques in simulated combat situations, with their explosive execution drawing repeated applause from spectators inside the arena.
The performance proved convincing with all five judges favouring Vietnam. The Vietnamese team received scores of 8.8, 8.2, 8.8, 8.3 and 8.6, sealing a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Iran and sending Ngoc Tram, Ngoc Nhi and Thu Uyen to the top of the podium.
Vietnam’s route to the gold medal was equally impressive, with the defending champions completing the entire competition without losing a single judges’ vote across their three matches. In the quarter-finals, the Vietnamese trio performed Papuren against Nepal and earned scores of 8.5, 7.8, 8.4, 7.7 and 7.9 to advance with a 5-0 victory. They then switched to Tomari Bassai for their semi-final against Chinese Taipei, where another polished display earned scores of 8.0, 8.1, 8.1, 8.5 and 8.5 and another clean 5-0 win. Iran had been similarly dominant on their way to the final, defeating both Thailand in the quarter-finals and the Philippines in the semi-finals by 5-0 margins.
The triumph carried additional significance as Vietnam successfully defended the women’s team kata title they won at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. At ASIAD 19, Ngoc Tram joined Nguyen Thi Phuong and Luu Thi Thu Uyen to capture gold. Three years later, Ngoc Tram remained a central figure in a reshaped lineup alongside Ngoc Nhi and Hoang Thi Thu Uyen and helped Vietnam retain their position at the top of the Asian Games podium.
The tournament has been particularly memorable for Bui Ngoc Nhi. Two days before winning team gold, she secured a bronze medal in the women’s individual kata event on September 20, giving her two medals at ASIAD 2026.
More importantly for the Vietnamese delegation, the women’s team kata victory ended the country’s wait for a gold medal at this year’s Games. Vietnam entered ASIAD 2026 with a target of winning at least four gold medals, and the karate team’s success provides an important boost as the delegation continues its campaign in Japan.
Vietnam’s gold medallists also received immediate financial rewards following their victory. Colonel Nguyen Thi Thuy Thanh, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Public Security’s XO3 Department and Vice President of the People’s Public Security Sports Association, presented the trio with a VND 50 million bonus from the association. T&T Group also awarded VND 100 million to Nguyen Ngoc Tram following her gold-medal performance.
VSN/RPT
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