Viet Nam is participating in ASIAD 20 with a delegation of 498 members — including 348 athletes — competing across 33 sports and disciplines. Following the three gold medals won at ASIAD 19, the target for this edition has been raised to a minimum of four gold medals. Achieving this goal will be challenging, as the Asian arena brings together numerous sporting powerhouses, including many world-class athletes. Nevertheless, recent preparations have provided the sports sector with a solid basis for high expectations in several key events.
Sepak takraw, karate, and shooting are considered the three crucial spearheads in Viet Nam’s quest for gold. These sports previously yielded gold medals at ASIAD 19, and there are high hopes that they will maintain their success at ASIAD 20. Women’s sepak takraw boasts a strong track record and is highly anticipated, while the karate team features athletes capable of contending for medals in their strongest events.
Viet Nam is participating in ASIAD 20 with a delegation of 498 members — including 348 athletes — competing across 33 sports and disciplines. In shooting, attention is focused on marksmen with experience in major tournaments — particularly Trinh Thu Vinh, who came very close to a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, these are highly competitive disciplines where even a minor error can alter the final standings.
Beyond the three key sports, opportunities for gold medals exist in various other disciplines. Athletics, rowing, cycling, gymnastics, MMA, and esports are among the sports that could yield further successes. Several Vietnamese athletes who have previously won Asian medals or achieved notable results in international competitions in these sports are well-positioned to contend in their respective events.
Viet Nam is participating in ASIAD 20 with a delegation of 498 members — including 348 athletes — competing across 33 sports and disciplines.
Martial arts and new events introduced at ASIAD 20 offer particular promise, as Viet Nam has prepared a well-trained squad for these competitions. Nevertheless, there remains a significant gap between being a medal contender and actually winning gold, especially given the formidable strength of competitors from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Kazakhstan.
The greatest challenge for the Vietnamese delegation is converting these opportunities into gold medals amidst a gruelling competition schedule and intense pressure to succeed. At the Hangzhou Games (China), Viet Nam secured three gold, five silver, and 19 bronze medals — a performance demonstrating that many athletes were on the cusp of challenging for the top spots. Consequently, the target of winning at least four gold medals this time relies not only on established champions but also on breakthroughs from emerging talents.
Professional preparation, the ability to adapt to competition conditions in Japan, and — above all — composure during decisive moments will play a crucial role. Once ASIAD 20 begins, expectations for medals will transform into tangible competitive pressure for each team.
ASIAD 20 takes place from September 19 to October 4, bringing together 45 delegations comprising approximately 17,000 members, including over 11,000 athletes. The Games feature competition across 43 sports and 469 events, encompassing both Olympic disciplines and sports in which Asia excels. This marks the third time Japan has hosted the Asian Games, following the 1958 and 1994 editions. Unlike many previous Games, ASIAD 20 does not utilise a centralised athletes' village; instead, delegations are accommodated across various facilities, aligning with the event's decentralised organisational model.
China enters ASIAD 20 with a squad of 815 athletes competing in 38 sports and 369 events, aiming to retain the top spot on the overall medal table and extend a streak of leading the Games for 11 consecutive editions since 1982.
Host nation Japan participates in ASIAD 20 with a contingent of 932 athletes competing in all 43 sports. Leveraging the home-field advantage, Japan aims to improve upon its performance at ASIAD 19 (where it secured 52 gold medals and 188 medals in total). For these Games, the nation targets a milestone of 218 medals, matching its best-ever performance at the 1994 Asian Games.
