The back-to-back medalless Olympic Games reflect Vietnam’s lack of sport leadership, leaving Vietnamese athletes with minimal chances to compete on the international stage.

Slim hope

After the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in Hanoi in 2022, Tran Duc Phan, the head of the Vietnamese delegation at that time, admitted that despite Vietnam leading the SEA Games with over 200 gold medals, the goal for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, which were held in 2023, was modest - only three to five gold medals.

For the Paris 2024 Olympics, there was merely hope.

The results over the past two years have confirmed this assessment. 

At the Hangzhou Asian Games, Vietnam secured only three gold medals, five silver medals, and 19 bronze medals, ranking below Singapore, which also won three gold medals but earned six silver medals, and trailing behind the Philippines with four gold medals, Malaysia with six gold medals, Indonesia with seven gold medals, and Thailand with 12 gold medals.

At the Olympics, hopes of securing a medal rested solely on the young markswoman Trinh Thu Vinh.

The 24-year-old athlete brought moments of optimism by reaching the finals in both the women’s 10m air pistol and 25m sport pistol events. 

In the 10m air pistol event, Thu Vinh finished fourth, just one step shy of a medal. 

However, the competition was fierce, with those who outperformed her being some of the world’s top shooters, highlighting the gap in skill levels.

Vietnamese markswoman Trinh Thu Vinh competes at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Photo: Reuters

Other Vietnamese sports stars remain far behind the level of Olympic medalists. 

In swimming, Nguyen Huy Hoang, who won 11 SEA Games gold medals, did not place in the top 20 in either the men’s 800m or 1,500m freestyle qualifying rounds. 

In weightlifting, traditionally a stronghold for Vietnam at the Olympics, Trinh Van Vinh failed to lift any weights successfully and was eliminated after the snatch competition. 

In badminton, despite their best efforts, Nguyen Thuy Linh and Le Duc Phat could not advance past the group stage. 

Similarly, female boxers Ha Thi Linh and Vo Thi Kim Anh did not progress to the quarterfinals.

Vietnam sent just 16 athletes to the Paris 2024 Olympics, the lowest number since the London 2012 Games, with most aiming primarily for experience rather than medal contention.

Wake-up call

The heavy defeats at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games have been a wake-up call for Vietnamese sports fans.

Eight years ago, Hoang Xuan Vinh’s remarkable achievement of winning one gold and one silver medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics led to misconceptions that Vietnam was poised to make a strong international impact. 

Vietnamese marksman Hoang Xuan Vinh competes at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics. Photo: Reuters

While Xuan Vinh’s performance left a lasting impression on both him and some of the Vietnamese shooting team’s coaching staff, it did not translate into sustained dominance.

Shooting has brought Vietnam some notable successes, including a gold medal by Pham Quang Huy in the men’s 10m air pistol event at the Hangzhou Asian Games and exciting moments at the Paris Olympics. 

However, these achievements have not been enough to establish Vietnam as a shooting powerhouse, even at the continental level. 

At the Hangzhou Asian Games, Indonesian shooter Muhammad Dwi Putra won two gold medals, helping his team surpass Vietnam.

Strong sports lose steam

Weightlifting has long been considered Vietnam’s strength in the Olympics. 

At the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Hoang Anh Tuan earned a silver medal in the men’s 56kg category with a total lift of 290kg, just 2kg short of the gold medalist, Long Qingquan.

Four years later, Tran Le Quoc Toan continued this success by winning a bronze medal in the same category at the London 2012 Olympics.

Vietnamese weightlifter Trinh Van Vinh fails to lift the weight in the men’s 61kg weightlifting event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, August 7, 2024. Photo: Reuters

However, Vietnam’s weightlifting achievements have declined over subsequent Olympic Games. 

At the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics, Quoc Toan fell to fifth place, and medal hopeful Thach Kim Tuan failed in all three clean and jerk attempts. 

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Vuong Thi Huyen also placed fifth. 

In Paris 2024, Trinh Van Vinh did not advance past the snatch competition, while weightlifters from Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia outperformed him, with Thailand’s Theerapong Silachai securing a silver medal.

This decline in Vietnam’s traditionally strong sport highlights its inability to compete effectively in key sports both regionally and internationally. 

The 2024 Paris Olympics reflect a troubling reality for Vietnamese sports, which struggles to produce standout athletes in both professional and traditional Olympic disciplines such as athletics, swimming, and weightlifting.

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