Vietnam Dominates Southeast Asian Diving Championships With 92 Gold Medals
The Vietnamese national diving team secured first place overall at the 2026 Southeast Asian Diving Championships by capturing 92 gold medals, 62 silver medals, and 6 bronze medals in Malaysia, vietnam.vn reported. The tournament concluded late on October 31 at the MBJB Aquatic Centre in Johor Bahru, bringing together top regional athletes across both senior and age-group categories. This year marks the third edition of these championships. During the Southeast Asian Diving Championships 2025, organized in Indonesia, Vietnamese athletes also shone, with seniors winning 31 gold, 22 silver, and 6 bronze medals, while juniors claimed 24 gold, 15 silver, and 13 bronze medals. Previously, at the 2026 Asian Junior Diving Championships held in China in September, the Vietnamese team won 33 gold, 31 silver, and 15 bronze medals, surpassing the host country, China, to top the overall medal table.
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Throughout the three-day competition held from October 29 to October 31, Vietnamese athletes maintained a commanding lead. On the very first day of competition, the Vietnamese team took a considerable lead by winning 32 gold medals, 21 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals for a total of 55 medals. The delegation finished the event with a total medal count of 160, successfully defending the overall title the team won at the 2025 championships.
Record-Breaking Performances in Johor Bahru
Nguyễn Thành Lộc delivered standout performances on the final day of competition. Lộc won the gold medal in the 50m surface finswimming event with a time of 15.18 seconds, setting a new Southeast Asian record, fr.laodong.vn reported. He also secured a second gold medal and broke the regional record in the 100m surface finswimming event with a performance of 34.71 seconds. Lộc is originally from Ho Chi Minh City and has previously won a bronze medal at the World Championships.
Additional records fell as Nguyễn Tiến Đạt claimed the gold medal in the 400m surface finswimming event with a time of 2 minutes and 54.37 seconds. Teammate Lưu Nguyễn Đức Tâm added another gold in the 400m surface finswimming event at 3 minutes and 5.76 seconds, while the mixed 4x100m relay team secured gold with a time of 2 minutes and 52.47 seconds, vietnam.vn reported. During the final day alone, Vietnamese swimmers dominated by claiming an additional 35 gold medals, 24 silver medals, and 1 bronze medal.
Regional Growth and Next Competition Steps
The Southeast Asian Diving Federation organized both the main championship events and age-group categories concurrently during this year’s competition in Malaysia. This joint format provided younger regional athletes with expanded opportunities to gain practical racing experience against international competitors.
Vietnam sent a 62-member delegation to the tournament, consisting of 46 athletes alongside coaches, officials, and experts. Sixteen of those athletes were provided by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Sports. Following the conclusion of the events in Malaysia, members of the national team return to their respective management units to prepare for the upcoming X National Sports Games, which begin in Ho Chi Minh City on November 29.
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