Nagoya, 4 Oct 2026 – Vietnam sports delegation concluded their ASIAD 2026 campaign with three gold, three silver and 19 bronze medals, finishing 20th in the overall medal standings as the Asian Games officially came to a close in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on October 4.
Held from September 19 to October 4, the 20th Asian Games brought together leading athletes from across the continent to compete in 43 sports and 71 disciplines, with a total of 469 medal events. Vietnam sent a 498-member delegation to the Games, including 348 athletes competing across 33 sports and disciplines. Before departing for Japan, the delegation had set a target of winning at least four gold medals while securing a place among the top 20 nations in the overall standings.
By the end of the Games, Vietnam had collected 25 medals – three gold, three silver and 19 bronze – to finish 20th overall. The result meant the country achieved its objective of remaining among Asia’s top 20 sporting delegations, although it fell one gold medal short of its pre-Games target.
Vietnam’s three gold medals came from karate and sepak takraw. The first was secured by Nguyen Ngoc Tram, Bui Ngoc Nhi and Hoang Thi Thu Uyen in the women’s team kata event. The Vietnamese trio produced an impressive performance in the final to overcome Iran, opening the country’s gold-medal account in Aichi-Nagoya.
Sepak takraw subsequently emerged as the standout sport of Vietnam’s ASIAD 2026 campaign, delivering the country’s remaining two gold medals. Vietnam first triumphed in the women’s doubles before adding another title in the women’s quadrant event. The latter victory was particularly impressive as Vietnam defeated Thailand, one of the dominant forces in world sepak takraw, in a dramatic final. Despite facing intense pressure, the Vietnamese players held their nerve to claim a 2-1 victory and secure the delegation’s third gold medal of the Games.
Compared with the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Vietnam maintained their tally of three gold medals. However, the results also highlighted the considerable gap that remains between Vietnam and several other Southeast Asian nations at continental level, underlining the challenges facing Vietnamese sport as it seeks to improve its competitiveness across a broader range of Olympic and Asian Games disciplines.
At the top of the medal standings, China once again demonstrated their dominance of Asian sport with 169 gold medals, finishing well clear of second-placed Japan, who collected 83 golds.
Vietnam ultimately leave Aichi-Nagoya having maintained their position among Asia’s top 20 sporting nations, but with the delegation’s four-gold target unmet, ASIAD 2026 also provides another benchmark for assessing the country’s long-term investment and preparations for future continental competitions.
VSN/RPT
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