Sport

10th National Sports Games: Nghe An gives its all for the national flag and colors.

Duc Anh • May 1, 2026 19:08

Local mergers and the reduction of many strong sports disciplines are creating significant pressure on Nghe An's sports scene ahead of the 10th National Sports Games in 2026. However, despite these difficulties, Nghe An's sports teams remain determined to enter the Games with a spirit of honor for their country.

Reporters from Nghe An Newspaper and Radio & Television had a discussion with Ms. Pham Thi Thinh - Acting Director of the Nghe An Sports Training and Competition Center - regarding related issues.

Reporter:Madam, overall, what is the biggest challenge facing Nghe An sports before this year's Games?

Ms. Pham Thi Thinh:It can be said that this is a congress where Nghe An will face many challenges. After the merger, the number of participating delegations decreased, but the strength of many localities increased significantly because their forces were combined. Meanwhile, Nghe An is an unmerged province, so when entering the congress, it will have to compete with many delegations that have better depth than before.

Another difficulty is that the regulations for this year's competitions have changed considerably. Some of Nghe An's strong sports have had their events reduced, and in some weight categories and events where athletes excel are no longer included in the competition program. This directly impacts the chances of winning medals.

Reporter: Could you elaborate on these changes??

Ms. Pham Thi Thinh:For example, in Pencak Silat, the number of events has been drastically reduced, and there have been changes in both the rules and the fighting style. Vovinam, Muay Thai, and some other martial arts are facing a similar situation. Diving, an event that is a strength of Nghe An athletes, was not included in the Games. The same goes for sepak takraw; for a long time, we have been strong in individual events, but the new regulations favor doubles events.

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When what was once a strength no longer aligns with the competition schedule, the professional plan must change. This means that preparation for the Games cannot be done habitually as before, but must be recalculated almost from scratch.

Ms. Pham Thi Thinh

When what was once a strength no longer aligns with the competition schedule, the professional plan must change. This means that preparation for the Games cannot be done habitually as before, but must be recalculated almost from scratch.

Reporter: In that context, how did the center prepare its forces?

Ms. Pham Thi Thinh:We proactively advised on the plan early on. According to the plan, for the sports specifically focused on training at the center, Nghe An will participate in 17 sports with nearly 180 athletes and almost 30 coaches. In addition, there will be other sports such as football, tug-of-war, and stick pushing.

However, quantity isn't the biggest issue. The important thing is to restructure the team to align with the new regulations. Focus investment on disciplines and events that still have the potential to win medals. For events that are no longer strengths, a review and re-selection of personnel is necessary to ensure better performance.

Reporter: So, which sports does Nghe An province have high hopes for at this year's Games?

Ms. Pham Thi Thinh:We still identify several sports as our strong points, such as weightlifting, diving, jujitsu, sepak takraw, athletics, shuttlecock, pétanque, and some martial arts like traditional martial arts, boxing, and kickboxing. These are sports in which Nghe An has a tradition, relatively stable teams, and has brought good results in previous competitions.

Reporter: Compared to the 2022 Games, when Nghe An won 13 Gold, 15 Silver, and 28 Bronze medals, the pressure to maintain that achievement this time will certainly be immense.

Ms. Pham Thi Thinh:That's a huge achievement. We still aim to maintain, or even increase, the number of gold medals compared to the previous year. But to do that, we'll have to work very hard, because the balance of power between the delegations is now very different.

It's crucial to be level-headed in our assessments. We can't just invest in everything; we must choose the right priority sports, the right key athletes, and the right time to accelerate our efforts.

Reporter: So what is the center's solution to overcome the difficulties and maintain its medal record?

Ms. Pham Thi Thinh:We are pursuing several approaches. First, we are reviewing the entire team according to the new regulations. We need to immediately adjust any events that have been cut or weight categories that are no longer available, avoiding scattered investment. Based on that, we will finalize the key sports, the sports with medal potential, and the group of elite athletes.

The second solution is to develop training plans tailored to different groups. For key athletes, a separate training plan is required, with specific professional indicators, closely following each stage to ensure peak performance at the right time for competition. For combat sports, we prioritize finding opportunities for athletes to gain experience at strong training centers nationwide.

The third solution is to reorganize the forces in a way that complements each other. In sports where there aren't enough athletes of the same weight class for sparring practice, the coaching staff must consider grouping athletes, inviting "sparring partners," or coordinating with other units to increase the number of practical training sessions. This is very important, because sometimes athletes have good technique but lack experience, and they can still easily run out of steam at the competition.

In addition, we also place more emphasis on the psychological aspect of competition. For major tournaments, mental fortitude is crucial. Athletes need to be prepared both professionally and mentally, especially those participating for the first time. The coaching staff must support them in maintaining stability, confidence, and knowing how to overcome pressure at crucial moments.

Reporter: What gives Nghe An the confidence to win as they enter the congress?

Ms. Pham Thi Thinh:I think that's the tradition and spirit of Nghe An sports. We understand the difficulties ahead, but that doesn't mean we'll be discouraged. Nghe An has always had dedicated coaches and determined athletes who are ready to give their all for the national flag.

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If we maintain that spirit, coupled with thorough preparation, I believe Nghe An's sports sector still has grounds to hope for a memorable Games.

Ms. Pham Thi Thinh

Our conditions may not be as good as in many other places, but when we enter the competition, what we hope for most is that each athlete takes to the field with the highest spirit, competing with all their responsibility, pride, and desire to contribute. If we maintain that spirit, coupled with thorough preparation, I believe Nghe An sports still have grounds to hope for a memorable Games.

Reporter:Thank you for this conversation!

Duc Anh