Vietnamese athletes shine at Asian karate event

Vietnam won one gold, four silver, and five bronze medals at the Asian Karate Federation Cadet, Junior, and U21 Championship, which recently concluded in Japan.

Vietnamese athletes on top podium of the junior female kata event. (Source: baomoi.com)
Vietnamese athletes on top podium of the junior female kata event. (Source: baomoi.com)

The gold was won by the junior female team, who beat India 5-0 in the kata (performance) event.

Also in the junior category, Nguyen Thi Phuong won a silver medal in the female kata individual class and Ho Thi Ha finished third in the female U59kg kumite (combat) pool.

In the U21 discipline, Tran Thi Khanh Vy won a silver medal in the female kata, while Khuat Huy Thang grabbed a bronze medal in the male kata. Nguyen Thi and Do Thanh Nhan came third in the female U61kg and male U84kg kumite classes, respectively.

The Vietnamese cadet athletes also secured medals.

Pham Thi Hoa won a silver medal after losing 0-1 to Japanese Nakagawa Marin in the girls’ U54kg final.

Hoang Thi My Tam came second in the girls’ over-54kg category after a 0-2 defeat to Khasaif Fatma of the United Arab Emirates.

The only kata bronze in this group went to Nguyen Ngoc Tram in the girls’ pool.

Vietnam ranked eighth in the overall championship. Japan came first, followed by Kazakhstan, and Iran.