Four Vietnamese karate team kumite (sparring) champions including Nguyen Thi Ngoan, Nguyen Thi Dieu Ly, Dinh Thi Huong, and Hoang Thi My Tam were honored with the Second Class Labor Medal for their gold medal-winning performances at the 2024 Asian Championship.
Additionally, head coach Duong Hoang Long of the Vietnamese karate team also received the prestigious Second Class Labor Medal.
Coach Duong Hoang Long said that he was deeply touched by the dedication of every member of the Vietnamese karate team, who had prepared professionally and achieved remarkable results at last year's Asian Championship.
Hoang Thi My Tam, a rising star in Vietnamese karate, described her recent award as a significant morale boost, fueling her drive for greater professional focus in upcoming challenges. At the 2024 Asian Championship, Tam secured a gold medal in the women’s team kumite event, a victory attributed to the Vietnamese karate team’s rigorous professional preparation.
Building on this success, the Vietnamese women’s team continued their dominance at the 2025 Asian Championship in Uzbekistan, where the four-member squad defeated Kazakhstan in the final to defend their gold medal in the team kumite event.
"Competing nations are preparing meticulously, but the Vietnamese women’s karate team has shown exceptional care in our preparation, with every athlete displaying intense focus during competition," said Vu Son Ha, head of the karate department at the Vietnam Sports Administration.
In addition to the Vietnamese karate team, a number of other teams such as athletics, rowing, canoeing, and taekwondo also have athletes honored to receive the Second Class Labor Medals.
The Vietnamese karate team today commenced its participation in the 2025 Southeast Asian Championship in Brunei on June 15. Coaching staff emphasize this tournament's critical role as a professional benchmark, allowing martial artists to gauge their abilities ahead of the upcoming 33rd SEA Games in 2025. The championship is set to draw strong competition from all karate teams across the region.
Last year, the Vietnamese women's kumite team notably clinched the gold medal in the event at the 2024 Southeast Asian Championship, contributing to Vietnam's overall lead in the medal tally with 21 golds. However, with competitors now equally prepared, the opportunities for high results are evenly distributed.
According to the Vietnamese karate team's coaching staff, their focus in Brunei extends beyond kumite (sparring) to include strong contention in kata (performance) events. The highest goal is for Vietnamese karate players to test their capabilities and gain crucial insights into their opponents, ensuring optimal preparation for the 33rd SEA Games-2025, said a coaching staff representative.
The 2025 Southeast Asian Championship will conclude on June 19.
