Vietnam Secures First ASIAD Gold in Women's Team Kata

The Vietnamese women's team kata karate team secured the nation's first gold medal at the 20th Asian Games on the afternoon of September 22, defeating Iran in the final. The trio of Nguyễn Ngọc Trâm, Bùi Ngọc Nhi, and Hoàng Thị Thu Uyên delivered a stable performance at the Toyohashi Gymnasium in Nagoya, Japan. In the quarterfinals, the team decisively beat Nepal 5-0 with the Papuren kata. In the semifinals, Trâm, Nhi, and Uyên continued their dominance, overcoming Chinese Taipei with the same score using the Tomari Bassai kata. The final saw Vietnam face Iran again. At the 2026 Asian Karate Championships, the team narrowly lost to the familiar opponent 3-4 in the bronze medal match. However, with their synchronized and precise technical execution, the Vietnamese women successfully avenged their earlier defeat. This gold medal not only marks the "opening gold" for Vietnamese sports at ASIAD 2026 but also allows Vietnamese karate to defend its number one position in the women's team kata event. At ASIAD 2022 in Hangzhou (China), Ngọc Trâm, along with veterans Nguyễn Thị Phương and Lưu Thị Thu Uyên, also clinched the top spot. However, only four countries participated then: Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Brunei. Karate at this year's Games features 15 events, but each country can only register for eight. Host nation Japan opted out of the women's team kata, a significant advantage for Vietnam's pursuit of gold, despite the number of competing nations increasing to eight, including strong rivals like Iran, Chinese Taipei, Macau, and Thailand. "We are very honored and proud to be the first sports team to win a gold medal for Vietnam," shared Ngọc Trâm. "I hope that for the remaining events and sports, my teammates will try even harder. I believe we can achieve more." The Vietnamese sports delegation is participating in ASIAD 2026 with 498 members, including 348 athletes competing in 33 sports and disciplines, aiming to win over four gold medals. Four years ago, Vietnam won 27 medals, including one gold, five silvers, and 19 bronzes, ranking 21st out of 41 delegations.