Vietnam faces bleak sports outlook after poor showing at Asian Youth Games

The Vietnamese delegation won just one gold medal, along with seven silvers and 11 bronzes, finishing 22nd out of 45 nations.

The lone gold came from weightlifter Nguyen Thanh Duy.

The result is a steep drop from 2013, when Vietnam placed seventh with five golds at the last edition of the Games.

The Asian Youth Games, which feature athletes under 18, is held infrequently and often seen as a barometer for future regional competitiveness.

This year’s edition also served as a qualifier for the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal.

Athletes from 45 national federations competed for a total of 1,677 medals, including 505 golds, 503 silvers and 669 bronzes, in Bahrain from October 22 to 31.

Regional peers surge ahead

In Bahrain, Thailand again led Southeast Asia with 15 golds and 48 medals overall, finishing fifth in Asia.

The Philippines ranked 12th with seven golds, Indonesia 15th with four, and Singapore 19th with two.

Vietnam outperformed only Malaysia among the region’s major sporting nations.

The results suggest that Vietnam’s next generation of athletes may struggle to reach the continental elite by the next Asian Games in 2030.

Youth competitions such as the Asian Youth Games typically showcase raw talent and development potential rather than advanced sports science or professional systems — areas where Vietnam has been slow to progress.

At the 2013 Games, several Vietnamese athletes who later became national stars, such as swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien and tennis player Ly Hoang Nam, first drew attention.

But this year’s performance produced no standout names.

Outlook for the next Asian Games

At the 2023 Asian Games in China’s Hangzhou, Vietnam finished 21st overall, trailing Thailand in eighth place, Indonesia in 13th, Malaysia in 14th, the Philippines in 17th, and Singapore in 20th.

With few emerging prospects, analysts say that ranking may not improve in 2026 or 2030.

By contrast, Thailand continues to build on global-caliber disciplines such as badminton, muay Thai and taekwondo, while Indonesia dominates in badminton and weightlifting.

Singapore remains strong in swimming.

A challenging decade ahead

Vietnam’s youth results underscore deeper issues in athlete development, training investment, and competitive exposure.

Sports officials have acknowledged the need for long-term reform but face funding and infrastructure limits.

For now, Vietnamese fans may have to accept that their country will remain behind regional rivals in many headline events.

Over the next few years, Southeast Asian arenas are more likely to celebrate Thai sprinters, Indonesian lifters or Filipino gymnasts than new Vietnamese stars.