The Sporting Nation: Vietnam’s Quest for Athletic Excellence

Vietnamese sports are limited to success within the Southeast Asian Games, and often trail behind their Asian and global competitors. The nation's athletes have yet to make a significant impact on the world stage, and this is a challenge that needs addressing.

Administrator

9 April, 2025

While Vietnam has made strides in sports in recent years, its performance at major events like the Olympics and Asian Games remains modest.

At the Olympics, Vietnam’s results have been inconsistent and on a downward trajectory. For instance, at the 2012 London Olympics, 18 Vietnamese athletes qualified, and the country took home one bronze medal in weightlifting. In contrast, at the 2016 Rio Olympics, 23 athletes participated, winning one gold and one silver medal in shooting, thanks to the impressive performance of Hoang Xuan Vinh.

However, this success did not continue at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics or the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, with Vietnam sending fewer athletes and failing to secure any medals. The nation’s performance at the Asian Games followed a similar pattern, with a gradual decline in gold medals from 2014 to 2022 (held in 2023 due to COVID-19).

Vietnamese shooters perfect their aim during a training session. Photo: Hoang Tung / Tuoi Tre

Despite consistent podium finishes at the Southeast Asian Games, Vietnam typically ranks in the lower half at the Asian Games and Olympics, often finishing fifth or sixth in the region.

The main reason for this disparity is the lack of a comprehensive national program to develop elite athletes, especially in sports crucial to success at these prestigious events. For instance, two of Vietnam’s four gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games came from silat, an Indonesian martial art, which was subsequently dropped from the program at the 2022 Asian Games.

At the 2022 Asian Games, Vietnam won 27 medals, including three golds, ranking 21st out of 45 Asian countries and territories. Qualifying for the Olympics is already a significant challenge, and winning medals is even more difficult.

Challenges and Limitations

Currently, Vietnam has approximately 22,000 athletes across different levels. However, several factors hinder the country’s ability to produce elite athletes, including the selection process, investment, and athlete compensation.

Top athletes in Vietnam earn a meager average salary of just VND7 million ($273) per month, with minimal benefits. Even Olympic or Asian Games gold medalists do not receive higher pay, and the nutrition provided is often insufficient. This lack of financial incentive does not motivate athletes to strive for higher achievements.

Coaching standards also remain a challenge. Foreign experts in Vietnam typically earn between $3,000 and $4,000 per month, making it difficult to attract highly qualified professionals. Only one foreign expert, a South Korean shooting coach named Park Chung Gun, earns $6,000 per month.

Vietnamese fencers engage in an intense match. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Given these financial constraints, Vietnam struggles to employ top-tier coaches for its national teams. The sports ministry estimates that a monthly salary of at least $6,000 to $8,000 is necessary to attract competent foreign experts. Currently, at least 35-40 experts are needed to improve Vietnam’s performance in sports.

Additionally, some sports face practical challenges, such as a shortage of equipment. For example, archers in Vietnam can only practice with 200-300 arrows per day, while their counterparts in South Korea shoot 400-500 arrows daily. The shooting federation also receives limited funding, falling far short of the amount required for adequate training and international competition participation.

A Long-Term Vision

To address these challenges, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is developing a program for key sports in preparation for the 2026-2046 Olympic and Asian Games. This program aims to elevate Vietnam’s position in the world of sports.

The government is expected to approve the program this year for nationwide implementation. The immediate goals are ambitious: to maintain Vietnam’s position in the top three at the Southeast Asian Games and break into the top 20 at the Asian Games between 2025 and 2030.

The program sets its sights on winning five to seven gold medals at the Asian Games and securing at least one medal at the Olympics or Paralympics. Vietnamese football has its own set of targets: a top-10 spot in Asia for the men’s team and a top-8 position for the women’s team.

The program also proposes an annual selection of around 350-400 athletes for the national teams, with a focus on investing in the training of 175-180 young, promising athletes in 17 key sports. These sports include athletics, shooting, archery, fencing, weightlifting, boxing, gymnastics, and more.

Vietnamese swimmer Nguyen Huy Hoang dives into the pool with determination. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The long-term vision is even more impressive, aiming to consistently place Vietnam in the top 2 at the Southeast Asian Games, top 15 at the Asian Games, and top 50 at the Olympics by 2031-2046. During this period, the men’s and women’s football teams also aim for a top-8 position in Asia and World Cup qualification.

In this plan, Vietnam will host the Asian Games in 2038. The program emphasizes the development of young athletes, identifying and nurturing potential talents, and providing international exposure through training and competitions abroad. Notably, the program also includes athletes who are not yet Vietnamese citizens but have the potential to gain citizenship and contribute to the national team’s success.

The Vietnam Sports Administration is committed to gathering input from experts and scientists on the program through a workshop scheduled for Friday. The outcomes of this workshop will be presented to the government for final approval.