Vietnamese Sports marks 80 years of outstanding achievement

Shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh’s gold medal at the 2016 Olympics remains the highest achievement for Vietnamese sports on the international stage to date.

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he won one gold and one silver medal, becoming the first Vietnamese athlete to secure an Olympic gold. His performance in the men’s 10-meter air pistol final, which earned him the gold, was recognized as an Olympic record.

To achieve this success, shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh underwent rigorous professional preparation and gained extensive experience through numerous competitions leading up to the 2016 Olympics.

However, the first world record by a Vietnamese athlete on the global stage was achieved by shooter Tran Oanh. In July 1962, he competed in the Shooting Competition of Socialist Countries’ Armed Forces and secured first place in the men’s revolver event with a score of 587, surpassing the previous world record of 586 points.

Nowadays, a shooting range in Thanh Hoa has been named in honor of shooter Tran Oanh.

Before Hoang Xuan Vinh’s two Olympic medals in 2016, Vietnamese sports had already made their mark at the 2000 Olympics with taekwondo athlete Tran Hieu Ngan’s silver medal.

She earned silver in the women’s 57-kilogram taekwondo category after falling to Korean player Jung Jae-eun in the final. Her performance strengthened Vietnam’s confidence in pursuing further Olympic achievements. In 2008, weightlifter Hoang Anh Tuan won a silver medal, and in 2012, Tran Le Quoc Toan secured a bronze in weightlifting.

Vietnam has earned numerous accolades at the Asian Games (ASIAD). Notably, taekwondo athlete Tran Quang Ha won the gold medal in the men’s 58-kilometer category at the 1994 ASIAD, marking the first gold medal for Vietnam in the history of the Asian Games.

Following this achievement, Vietnamese athletes have continued to secure gold medals in successive editions of the ASIAD.

The 18th ASIAD in 2018, held in Indonesia, saw Vietnam achieve its most remarkable performance to date, winning five gold medals in athletics, rowing and pencak silat.

Vietnam's sports has achieved significant success at the Southeast Asian Games, leading the medal tally on three occasions. The first time was at SEA Games 22 in 2003, held on home stadium, where Vietnam topped the medal table with 158 gold, 97 silver and 91 bronze medals.

This edition marked a historic milestone as it was the first time Vietnam hosted a SEA Games, demonstrating the country’s capability to organize a major international sporting event.

Vietnam marked its second successful hosting of the SEA Games at SEA Games 31 in Hanoi in 2022, finishing first overall with 205 gold, 125 silver and 116 bronze medals.

Regarding gold medal achievements at the SEA Games, Vietnam’s first notable success after rejoining regional and international competitions was by shooter Ngo Ngan Ha at SEA Games 15 in 1989. She won the country’s first individual gold medal in the women’s rifle event, as well as a gold medal in the women’s team event.

In 2023, Vietnamese sports made history with an official ticket at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, marking the first time a Vietnamese football team competed in the world’s premier women’s football tournament.