Vietnamese boxer Nguyen Thi Tam won a silver medal in the women’s 51kg boxing event at the 2026 Asian Games after losing 0–5 to China’s Wu Yu in the final at Nishio Gymnasium in Aichi prefecture, Japan, on Friday.
Facing the Paris 2024 Olympic champion in the women’s 50kg category, Tam fought hard but could not produce an upset. Wu showcased her experience, movement and tactical control to secure unanimous scores from all five judges.
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The referee declares China’s Wu Yu (L) the winner over Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Tam in the women’s 51kg boxing final at the 2026 Asian Games on Oct. 2, 2026. Photo by Quy Luong |
Tam’s silver marks a milestone for Vietnamese women’s boxing as she became the first Vietnamese female boxer to reach an ASIAD final.
No Vietnamese boxer, male or female, had reached an Asian Games final before, making the silver the country’s best result in the sport at the Games.
She had earlier defeated reigning world champion Alua Balkibekova of Kazakhstan 5–0 in the semifinals.
The silver adds to Tam’s bronze at the 2018 Asian Games and two other Asian titles. She is also the first Vietnamese boxer to win a bronze medal at the world boxing championships.
Vietnam has secured two additional silver medals at the 2026 Asian Games on Friday, bringing its tally to two golds, three silvers and 19 bronzes, placing the country 20th in the medal standings.