Vietnam dominates SEA finswimming championships with 32 gold medals on opening day
VOV.VN - The Vietnamese finswimming team made a flying start at the 2026 Southeast Asia Finswimming Championship and Southeast Asian Age Group Finswimming Championship in Malaysia, capturing a total of 32 gold, 21 silver, and 2 bronze medals on the opening day, October 29.
According to initial reports from the delegation, the strong performance bolsters Vietnam's campaign to retain regional supremacy.
The tournament, hosted at the MBJB Aquatic Centre in Johor Bahru, attracts athletes from across Southeast Asia. The event combines the 3rd Southeast Asian Finswimming Championship and the 1st Age Group Championship, allowing national teams to vie for medals while evaluating youth talent.
Vietnam sent 46 athletes as part of a 62-member delegation comprising officials, experts, and coaches. The squad features notable figures, led by world bronze medalist Nguyen Thanh Loc, alongside rising talents, ensuring strong competitiveness in both individual and relay events.
This opening-day haul continues the nation’s impressive international record in finswimming. At the 2025 Southeast Asian Championships in Jakarta, Vietnam topped the senior medal table with 31 gold, 22 silver, and 6 bronze medals, while its junior team also finished first with 24 golds. Most recently, at the Asian Junior Finswimming Championships in China last September, Vietnam claimed top spot ahead of the host nation with 33 gold, 31 silver, and 15 bronze medals.
These results demonstrate the depth and continuity of Vietnamese finswimming, a sport that has long contributed significantly to national sports achievements in regional and continental arenas.
In addition to medal counts, coaches are using the Malaysia tournament to assess athlete form, test international competitive capacity, and review youth rosters for upcoming tasks. Building on its strong start in Johor Bahru, the team looks to maintain its momentum, play to its strengths in key events, and finish the tournament with a performance worthy of its standing.
Vietnam targets strong results at Asian Finswimming Championships
VOV.VN - Vietnam is targeting strong results at two regional finswimming championships to be held in Malaysia from October 27 to November 1, with a 62-member delegation set to compete in both the senior and age-group events.
