2026 National Traditional Martial Arts Championship: The Proud Spirit of Vietnamese Fighters

On September 12, 2026, at the Hang Day Stadium (Hanoi), the 9th National Traditional Martial Arts Championship officially opened with the participation of over 200 fighters from 24 provinces. This was the biggest sporting event of the year in Vietnam's martial arts scene, gathering the essence of schools such as Vovinam, Tay Son, Binh Dinh Gia, and Vo Lam Tan Khanh Ba Tra. From the qualifying rounds, the matches were extremely intense. On the ring, fighter Nguyen Van Hai (Binh Dinh) performed the Thap Bat La Han form with powerful strikes, drawing continuous applause from the audience. However, the biggest surprise came in the under-65 kg final between Tran Van Phuc (Hanoi) and Le Minh Tam (Ho Chi Minh City). Phuc used the characteristic leg-chain attacks of Vovinam, but Tam countered with the throwing techniques of Vo Lam Tan Khanh Ba Tra. The match extended to a third extra round and ended with a narrow victory for Le Minh Tam thanks to higher technical scores. The highlight of this year's tournament was the return of veteran fighter Do Van Hung (Hue) – champion in 2026 after a severe injury. Although he did not win a medal, Hung inspired young fighters with his resilient fighting spirit. The organizers stated that this year's tournament had outstanding professional quality compared to previous years, marking a new development step for Vietnamese martial arts in the post-war period. The tournament ended on September 18 with 15 sets of medals awarded. The Hanoi delegation topped the overall standings with 4 gold medals, followed by Ho Chi Minh City (3 golds) and Binh Dinh (2 golds). The afterglow of the tournament still resonates in fans' hearts, promising a bright future for the country's martial arts.