This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.

Coach Truong Minh Sang said his players were completely focused during their training, aiming to perfect their technique and hopefully get their highest results in the Republic of Korea.

The organising committee recognised and presented awards to 10 exceptional athletes, their five coaches, and three teams, alongside honouring five athletes with disabilities and their three coaches.

The Vietnamese karate team won six golds and topped the medal tally at last year's Games in Cambodia. Prior to that, in the 31st SEA Games on home turf, they earned seven gold medals and also finished first.

The cooperation agreement outlines several key initiatives, including regular training programmes in sports nutrition and psychology, sharing of advanced technological applications, and athlete performance evaluation methods.

Athletes and coaches across national training centres have returned to intensive training, preparing for strong performances in 2025’s international competitions.

With a total score of 1,286, sharpshooter Trinh Thu Vinh has been crowned Vietnam’s most outstanding athlete of 2024 in a national poll organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism along with various sports committees.

More than 100 Vietnamese outstanding aquatic sport athletes were honoured at an event held in the southern province of Tay Ninh on December 24.

Vietnam will for the first time have an official seven-a-side football tournament for women.

The sport sector is rolling out measures to provide optimal conditions for athletes in training activities and enhance their performance achievements, thus fulfilling the target of winning 12-15 tickets to the Paris 2024 Olympics, according to Director of the Sports Authority of Vietnam Dang Ha Viet.

Vietnamese rowers will vie for Olympic spots at a qualification event in April in the Republic of Korea.

Top swimmer Nguyen Huy Hoang will be Vietnam's flag bearer at the 19th Asian Games opening ceremony next month in China.

Vietnam will send a strong team of about 320 competitors to the 19th Asian Games (ASIAD), which will be held in China this September.