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Vietnamese martial artists (from L) Nguyen Ngoc Tram, Hoang Thi Thu Uyen, and Bui Ngoc Nhi celebrate their gold medal in the Kata event at the Toyohashi Gymnasium in Nagoya, Japan, on Sept. 22, 2026. Photo by Read/Quy Luong |
In the final match on Tuesday afternoon, the Vietnamese trio faced off against Iran’s Sadeghi Dastak Fatemeh, Hosseini Zeynabalsadat, and Animi Soumeh Kabodin Sepideh.
Demonstrating precise execution, flawless synchronization, and exceptional artistic impression in their team form performance, the Vietnamese athletes outshone their opponents to claim the top spot on the podium.
This victory capped off an impressive day of competition for Vietnamese karate.
Earlier, Nhi, Uyen, and Tram successfully navigated the preliminary rounds to reach the final. In the semifinals, they swept Chinese Taipei 5–0, building strong momentum ahead of the title bout.
For Nhi, this team gold comes just one day after she secured a bronze medal in the women’s individual kata event. This achievement cements her status as one of Vietnam’s karate standouts at the Asian Games.
Team kata demands tight cohesion among members, blending technique, speed, power, and seamless synchronization across every movement. Unlike kumite (sparring), competitors do not engage in direct combat but perform set routines before a panel of judges, making precision and uniformity paramount.
Vietnam have secured three bronze medals in the tournament in the mixed doubles teqball (Nguyen Hoang Minh Tan and Trinh Gia Nghi), women’s individual kata (Bui Ngoc Nhi), and women’s under-68kg kumite (Nguyen Thi Dieu Ly).