Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts Tournament 2026: A Turning Point for National Martial Arts

On August 15, 2026, at the Ho Chi Minh City Military Hall, the Third Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts Tournament officially concluded after 5 intense days of competition. This year's event marked a strong comeback of traditional martial arts schools after nearly a decade of interruption. According to the Organizing Committee's statistics, this year's tournament attracted 127 martial artists from 18 provinces across the country, a 40% increase compared to 2026. This is a record number since the tournament was revived. Competition categories included: hand-to-hand combat, free martial arts, and technique demonstration. The highlight of this year's event was the appearance of 12 athletes under 18 years old, most notably Nguyen Van Minh from Binh Duong, 16 years old, who won the gold medal in the 55kg kickboxing category. Minh was praised for his beautiful leg techniques and situational response speed beyond his age. However, the tournament also raised serious questions about age and weight classification standards. Some coaches argued that the grouping was not strict enough, creating significant physique differences among athletes in the same bracket. Technically, experts noted that the overall skill level of athletes has improved significantly compared to previous seasons. Particularly, Vo Dinh and Binh Dinh techniques were assessed as being taught more systematically. Mr. Tran Van Hung, Head of the Organizing Committee, stated: "We are building a roadmap to establish Traditional Martial Arts as one of the national priority sports. The 2026 tournament is an important stepping stone for this plan." This year's event also marked the return of senior martial arts masters from the South after years of absence. The judging council included 5 masters aged 60 and above, ensuring professionalism and fairness for young athletes. At the end of the tournament, Ho Chi Minh City sports delegation led the overall rankings with 4 gold medals, followed by Binh Duong delegation with 2 gold medals. Hanoi city ranked third with 1 gold and 3 silver medals. The Organizing Committee announced that the 2026 Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts Tournament is expected to expand with participation from Laos and Cambodia delegations, aiming toward building a Southeast Asian regional tournament.