Vietnamese athletes recorded a mixed slate of notable achievements and tough eliminations at the 20th Asian Games on September 27. While teams in sepak takraw, archery, and beach volleyball secured key victories and advanced deeper into tournament brackets, other squads faced difficult losses in badminton, kurash, track events, and team archery.
Sepak Takraw Teams Split Results as Men Advance
The Vietnamese men’s regu sepak takraw team secured a spot in the semifinals after defeating Myanmar 2-0. Captain Nguyen Van Nhan, alongside teammates Ngo Thanh Long and Luong Cong Minh, closed out the match by taking the second set 15-13 following an opening 15-5 win. However, the sport brought mixed fortunes elsewhere for the delegation. The women’s regu pairing of Nguyen Thi Thu Trang and Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly dropped a three-set match to Laos, losing 1-2 with set scores of 15-12, 10-15, and 9-15. Meanwhile, the men’s team suffered a 0-2 defeat against Malaysia, marking their second loss after dropping sets 9-15 and 15-17.
Archery Pairs Move Forward While Teams Fall
Vietnamese archers experienced success in mixed categories on September 27 while facing hurdles in team events. Dang Cong Duc and Le Thuy Phuong Nhi overcame their Iranian opponents 6-2 to earn a place in the classic archery mixed doubles quarterfinals. In the mixed triple bracket, Nguyen Hoang Phi Vu and Loc Thi Dao advanced by defeating a pair from Bhutan with a score of 158-150. In the team divisions, the women’s classic archery trio of Le Thuy Phuong Nhi, Le Pham Ngoc Anh, and Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao exited in the quarterfinals after a 223-226 loss to China. The men’s classic team also missed out on advancement after falling in their quarterfinal matchup against Chinese Taipei.
Beach Volleyball and Shooting Highlights
In beach volleyball group play, the men’s duo of Nguyen Lam Toi and Nguyen Van Viet picked up a straight-sets victory over Mongolia in Group C, winning both sets by identical 21-13 margins. On the shooting range, Trinh Thu Vinh delivered a strong performance in the women’s 25m slow fire pistol event. Following three series yielding 95, 99, and 97 points respectively, Thu Vinh totaled 291 points to sit in third place. Teammates Nguyen Thuy Trang finished 28th with 283 points, and Nguyen Thuy Dung placed 39th with 279 points. Competitors return to the range for the 30-shot rapid fire phase to decide the eight finalists.
Volleyball, Kurash, and Track Setbacks
The Vietnamese delegation encountered several early exits on the same day of competition. The men’s volleyball team opened Group C play with a 0-3 defeat against India. In kurash, Pham Nguyen Hong Mo bowed out in the round of 32 in the under-57kg category following a 0-5 loss to Uzbekistan’s Kodirova Fotima, while Nguyen Thi Huong dropped a 0-3 decision. In track and field, Le Thi Cam Tu placed seventh in a field of eight runners during the women’s 200m final, posting a time of 23.53 seconds. On the badminton courts, Nguyen Dinh Hoang and Tran Dinh Manh exited in the men’s doubles quarterfinals after a 6-21, 10-21 loss to an Indonesian pair.
Next Steps for the Delegation
Vietnamese competitors continue their schedules across multiple venues, with upcoming matches and rounds scheduled in sepak takraw, shooting, and archery. The men’s volleyball team is set to play its second Group C match against Qatar, while additional kurash athletes prepare for their next bouts.
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