Vietnam Secures First ASIAD 20 Gold Medal in Women's Karate Kata

The Vietnamese women's karate kata team has secured the first gold medal for the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 2026 Asian Games (ASIAD). Following this achievement, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh sent congratulations to the athletes, coaches, and the entire delegation. In accordance with the Minister's directive, Nguyen Hong Minh, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Sports Administration and Head of the Vietnamese Sports Delegation at ASIAD 20, presented a bonus of 200 million VND to the women's karate kata team. Additionally, Colonel Nguyen Thi Thuy Thanh, Deputy Director of the Political Work Department (Ministry of Public Security) and Vice President-cum-Secretary General of the People's Public Security Sports Association, awarded a 50 million VND bonus from the association to the team. T&T Group also presented a 100 million VND bonus to athlete Nguyen Ngoc Tram. On the afternoon of September 22, the women's kata team, comprising Nguyen Ngoc Tram, Bui Ngoc Nhi, and Hoang Thi Thu Uyen, defeated Iranian athletes 5-0 in the final, successfully defending their championship title in this event after three years. This victory marked the first gold medal for the Vietnamese sports delegation at ASIAD 20. Speaking after the win, Head of Delegation Nguyen Hong Minh expressed his joy over the women's kata team's performance. He believes that the first gold medal will provide additional motivation for the members and teams of the Vietnamese sports delegation to compete with more confidence and strive for better results in the coming days. "We hope this first gold medal will be a source of encouragement and inspiration for all members and teams of the Vietnamese sports delegation to gain more confidence, continue to compete successfully, and achieve good results in the future," he stated. Assessing the contingent of athletes from the People's Public Security, Head of Delegation Nguyen Hong Minh affirmed that they are an important resource for Vietnamese sports and expressed his expectation that these athletes will continue to contribute to the overall achievements of the delegation at ASIAD 20. The timely attention and encouragement from Minister Lam Thi Phuong Thanh have further bolstered the spirit and determination of the Vietnamese sports delegation to fulfill their objectives at ASIAD 20. The gold medal won by the women's karate kata team also serves as an added impetus for other teams as they enter their respective competitions. Tomorrow, September 23, wushu and shooting are expected to bring further achievements for the Vietnamese sports delegation. In wushu, Duong Thuy Vi, a gold medalist at ASIAD 17 in Incheon, South Korea, will compete. Meanwhile, Trinh Thu Vinh and Pham Quang Huy will continue their participation in shooting. Source: Nhan Dan