The 2026 National High School Sports Competition, held from June 20 to 30, featured over 2,200 student-athletes from 30 provinces and cities across Vietnam. The delegation from Gia Lai province secured 13 total medals—four gold, four silver, and five bronze—across traditional martial arts, swimming, and track and field events.
Gia Lai Delegation Performance and Results
The Gia Lai sports delegation sent 24 student-athletes to compete in three specific disciplines at the 2026 national event. According to official reports from the provincial sports department, the team’s success was anchored by a strong performance in traditional martial arts, which accounted for the majority of the medal count.
The traditional martial arts team earned 11 of the delegation’s 13 medals, including four gold, two silver, and five bronze, securing a third-place overall finish for the discipline. Swimming added two silver medals to the final tally.
Individual Gold Medalists
The four gold medals were awarded to student-athletes in both combat and kata categories. The following students were recognized for their top-podium finishes:
- Tran Nguyen Thao Ni: Gold in traditional martial arts combat (42-45kg category).
- Nguyen Thi Hai Binh: Gold in traditional martial arts kata.
- Nguyen Thi Trinh: Gold in traditional martial arts kata.
- Phan Gia Han, Le Minh Van, and Nguyen Thi Hai Binh: Gold in traditional martial arts team kata.
Scope of the 2026 National High School Sports Competition
The 2026 tournament served as a platform for elite high school talent, spanning five core sports: swimming, table tennis, badminton, track and field, and traditional martial arts.
The competition structure is designed to promote physical education and identify promising young athletes across Vietnam’s 30 participating regions. By limiting the competition to these five specific categories, organizers focused on depth of field and technical proficiency among the student-athletes.
Comparison of Medal Distribution
The distribution of the 13 medals won by Gia Lai reflects a strategic emphasis on martial arts training within the provincial high school system.
| Discipline | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Martial Arts | 4 | 2 | 5 | 11 |
| Swimming | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Track and Field | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
While the delegation did not secure medals in track and field, the performance in traditional martial arts positioned Gia Lai among the top competitors in that specific category for the 2026 cycle. Future provincial development programs are expected to focus on maintaining this momentum in martial arts while addressing the performance gap in track and field events.
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