Dong Nai Sports in 2025: brilliant achievements

The year 2025 concluded with brilliant sporting achievements for Dong Nai province. The athletes not only made significant contributions to the overall success of the Vietnamese Sports Delegation at the 33rd SEA Games but also affirmed their position in many national and international competitions. These victories have become a source of pride, a testament to the dedication and aspiration for excellence of Dong Nai sports.

Athlete Luong Duc Phuoc (far right) on the podium to receive his medal at the 33rd SEA Games. Photo: Huy Anh

The "Dong Nai warriors" brought glory to the nation at the 33rd SEA Games

At the recent SEA Games 33, the Vietnamese sports delegation ranked among the top three with nearly 90 gold medals. Contributing to this overall success, Dong Nai province proudly brought home two gold medals, one silver, and five bronze medals. The gold medals were won by athlete Phan Minh Hanh and her teammate Tran Quoc Cuong in judo, while "golden girl" Hoang Thi Thuy Giang reached the top of the podium in kickboxing.

In addition to the two golds, the efforts of Dong Nai athletes were also recognized with a silver medal in the women's Regu sepak takraw event, earned by Le Ngoc Tuyet and her teammates. The remaining five bronze medals were awarded in a variety of sports, reflecting the balanced development of athletics in the province: Luong Duc Phuoc and Huynh Thi My Tien (athletics), Nguyen Thanh Tra (jujitsu), Nguyen Hoang Son (muay), and Pham The Trung (pétanque).

Going beyond their traditional strengths, even in a new discipline like Arena of Valor, Dong Nai contributed two athletes, Nguyen Thanh Duyen and Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang, who helped the team win its first-ever gold medal in the event. Their achievements not only contributed to the overall success of Vietnamese sports but also reflected the dedication to training and talent selection by Dong Nai sports, especially in the context of administrative unit mergers.

High-performance sports: A picture with many bright spots

To produce athletes for the national team, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, specifically the Dong Nai Sports Training and Competition Center, has proactively planned training programs and organized high-performance sports competitions, providing athletes with opportunities to gain experience. Notably, the center has co-hosted 11 national competitions, thereby demonstrating its capacity to organize and manage major sporting events.

Furthermore, Dong Nai's sports teams participated in 114 national competitions, winning 968/375 medals, achieving 258% of the assigned target. Specifically, in the national championship system, Dong Nai sports teams won 353 medals; in the national youth championships, they won 136 medals, demonstrating the continuity and development of young talent; and in national cup and club competitions, they secured 479 medals, contributing to the improvement of the professional level of athletes.

Notably, at the 2025 National Jujitsu Championship, the Dong Nai jujitsu team won first place overall with 17 gold medals, 14 silver medals, and 25 bronze medals. Many outstanding athletes, such as Le Xuan Truong, Lo Thi Phung, and Tran Thi Hoang Van, achieved hat-tricks of gold medals, becoming pillars of the team.

Tran Thai Son, Head of the Dong Nai jujitsu department, affirmed: "The athletes competed with all their hearts, with pride in the name of Dong Nai."

In athletics, Luong Duc Phuoc and Sam Van Doi, along with their teammates Ly Toan Phat Di and Truong Nhat Linh, of the Dong Nai men's relay team, completed a hat-trick of national championships for three consecutive years. In 2025 alone, the team won gold medals at both the National Athletics Championships and the National Relay Championships, affirming their position as the number one team in the country in this event.

2025 also marks a turning point for football in the province. Truong Tuoi Dong Nai FC had an excellent start to the 2025-2026 season. In the National Cup, coach Nguyen Viet Thang's team successively defeated Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC (HCMC) and Ha Tinh to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face Ho Chi Minh City Police FC next March. In the First Division, the "Green Warriors" also showed impressive form, as they are the only undefeated team through the opening seven rounds, with five wins and two draws, occupying the top position, one point ahead of second-placed Khanh Hoa.

FPT Play commentator Tuan Anh predicted: “The competition for promotion will revolve around three teams: Truong Tuoi Dong Nai FC, Khanh Hoa, and Ho Chi Minh City FC. This race will be volatile, but Truong Tuoi Dong Nai FC currently has the biggest advantage as it is a well-balanced team, promising to be even stronger when striker Nguyen Cong Phuong returns.”

Vovinam fighter Nguyen Manh Phi (far left) is welcomed after winning the gold medal at the 8th World Vovinam Championships in 2025, held in Indonesia. Photo: Huy Anh

In particular, on the international stage, Dong Nai sports participated in 44 tournaments, winning 115 medals, far surpassing the assigned target of 17, including 51 gold medals. Many key sports achieved breakthrough results, contributing a significant number of medals while also providing athletes with valuable experience in international competition. Notably, martial artist Nguyen Manh Phi won a world gold medal in Vovinam alongside the Vietnamese national team in Indonesia.

Coach Dinh Thien Tung shared: Besides aiming for high achievements, the athletes also carry the mission of promoting the image of Vovinam in Dong Nai and spreading the spirit of Vietnamese martial arts to international friends.

In training and coaching activities, the leadership of the Dong Nai Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center has directed each department to develop detailed training plans for every stage, with a strong focus on talent selection and reinforcement. As of now, the center has 807 athletes in training, including 610 team athletes, 35 of whom are on the national team, and 197 are on youth teams. In 2025, Dong Nai sent three coaches and 35 athletes to join national teams across various sports, including athletics, muay, kickboxing, judo, jujitsu, and vovinam. Additionally, many coaches have been assigned as referees at both international and national tournaments, helping to affirm the professional reputation of Dong Nai sports.

Success leads to success

With the attention and guidance of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee, and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and the coordination and support of various departments, agencies, and localities, after the merger and official operation, the Dong Nai Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center has gradually stabilized its organizational structure, maintained and developed professional activities, and ensured the fulfillment of its assigned political and professional tasks. The staff, coaches, employees, and athletes are basically stable, experienced, responsible, and united in their efforts to complete their assigned tasks successfully.

Bui Anh Vu, Director of the Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center, said: “From the beginning of 2025, Dong Nai Sports has been preparing at the ward and commune levels. The selection of athletes has been carried out with careful investment. This accomplishment is a well-deserved reward for the days of tireless training and the persistent efforts of the Dong Nai teams. The athletes competed with all their hearts, taking pride in representing Dong Nai. In the time ahead, we will continue the selection process to prepare for the 2026 tournaments.”

In early January 2026, Dong Nai Sports kicked off its opening competition of 2026: the 31st National Mountain Climbing Cross-Country Race, "Conquering the Peak of Ba Ra," with the participation of veteran athletes such as "marathon king" Hoang Nguyen Thanh and female athlete Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa… Building on the successes of the previous 30 editions, the 2026 season promises to be a perfect start for Dong Nai sports, accelerating growth in the first month of the year and striving to achieve and surpass the set targets.

In 2026, in addition to provincial competitions, Dong Nai will host several national sports events such as: the 31st National Cross-Country Mountain-Climbing Tournament “Conquering Ba Ra Peak” in 2026 on January 4th, the Youth Muay Thai Championship (July 5th to 16th), the Sepak Takraw Championship (July 16th to 25th), and the U.21 Football Championship (July and August). For traditional martial arts, there will be the National Martial Arts and Music Championship in October and the National Outstanding Jujitsu Athlete Award in December. Furthermore, Dong Nai will host four events: the National Ba Ra Mountain Climbing Tournament, Wushu, Kickboxing, and Sailing, within the framework of the National Sports Games in November.

By Huyen Linh ,Bao Tram – Translated by Quoc Dung, Minho