Hanoi, 17 October 2025 – Vietnam will send a 75-member delegation to the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain from October 22 to 31, marking an important opportunity to nurture and showcase the country’s next generation of sporting talents on the continental stage.
The Asian Youth Games, held every four years, serve as a crucial platform for young athletes across the continent to gain experience and test their abilities against regional peers. The event is also seen as a measure of each nation’s investment in youth sports development. After several cancellations over the past decade, the Games make a long-awaited return this year in Bahrain.
First held in Singapore (2009) and then Nanjing, China (2013), the Asian Youth Games faced multiple setbacks. The 2017 edition was initially planned for Sri Lanka and later Indonesia, but both were canceled. The global COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 caused another cancellation. Originally scheduled to be hosted by Uzbekistan, the 2025 edition was officially reassigned to Bahrain, marking the event’s comeback after a 12-year hiatus.
Vietnam’s best-ever performance at the Asian Youth Games came in 2013, when the delegation won five gold medals, including three by swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien, one by tennis player Ly Hoang Nam, and one by track and field athlete Nguyen Thi Truc Mai. Both Anh Vien and Hoang Nam went on to become national icons — Anh Vien dominated Southeast Asian swimming for nearly a decade, while Hoang Nam became Vietnam’s most successful tennis player, reaching a career-high ATP ranking of 231.
Officials from the Vietnam Sports Administration (VSA) acknowledged that the prolonged interruption of the Games had negatively affected youth athlete development across Asia. Vietnam, too, has struggled to find successors matching the caliber of stars like Anh Vien and Hoang Nam. The 2025 Games are therefore viewed as a vital opportunity to identify and groom the country’s next generation of elite athletes.
This year, Vietnam’s 75-member contingent will compete in 11 disciplines, including athletics, badminton, jujitsu, boxing, judo, wrestling, weightlifting, taekwondo, golf, cycling, and muay thai. However, the team will not participate in popular sports such as volleyball, basketball, and futsal due to resource allocation and qualification constraints.
According to VSA leaders, all athletes have undergone a rigorous selection process and are receiving specialized training, focusing on both technical performance and mental preparation. Since early September, the team has been placed under an intensive training program with enhanced support policies. Many athletes have also been given opportunities to compete in both domestic and international tournaments to sharpen their competitive mindset and gain valuable experience ahead of Bahrain 2025.
Vietnam’s medal hopes this year rest on a number of rising young talents, including Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen (badminton), Hoang Le Quynh Nhu (athletics), Y Lien and Dao Thi Yen (weightlifting), Tran Mai Anh, Le Phan Tuan Kiet, Bui Mai Phuong (taekwondo), Nguyen Khang Ha My and Bui Dam Mai Chi (cycling), as well as Dinh Thi Ru Na and Nguyen Thi Hong Yen (boxing).
The 2025 Asian Youth Games will be more than just a competition for medals — it will serve as an important stepping stone in Vietnam’s long-term strategy to prepare young athletes for future ASIAD and Olympic Games, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to youth sports development and international success.
Thao Yen
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