Historic bronze medal for Vietnam Teqball at Asiad 20: Minh Tan, Gia Nghi and the journey to conquer Asia

On September 20, 2026, in Japan, the Vietnamese flag was raised on the Asiad 20 medal table for the first time thanks to a sport that even the most loyal fans had never expected. Teqball, a sport combining football and table tennis, had just made its continental debut, but Vietnamese athletes immediately drew attention. Nguyen Hoang Minh Tan and Trinh Gia Nghi defeated Indian pair Dsouza Quimcy Joaquim and Beg Mohamed Anas Imran 2-0 in the mixed doubles bronze medal match. This was not only Vietnam's first bronze medal at Asiad 20, but also a milestone for a sport still very new at home. To understand the value of this medal, one must look back at the context of Asiad 20. The 20th Asian Games is held in Japan, where new sports are constantly added to increase excitement. Teqball is one of them. For the first time included in the Games program, teqball brings a completely different atmosphere compared with traditional sports. With a curved table, a net in the middle, and rules requiring players to use their feet, chest and head, teqball poses a new challenge for every athlete. Not many Southeast Asian countries were fully prepared, but Vietnam showed remarkable sharpness. The bronze medal match took place with both teams desperate to win. On the other side were Dsouza Quimcy Joaquim and Beg Mohamed Anas Imran from India, two athletes with solid technique. India is a major sporting nation and is investing heavily in new sports. However, on a day when every ball was under control, the Vietnamese pair did exactly what they needed to do. The 2-0 scoreline may sound simple, but it contained a whole process of calculation, rhythm adjustment and mental strength. In mixed doubles, coordination between the two genders is especially important. Male players usually have more power, while female players bring softness, delicate ball feeling and stable rhythm. Minh Tan played well as an attacker, while Gia Nghi provided ball rotation, cover and good distance. They complemented each other naturally, like two pieces of a puzzle. Following the match, I remembered a principle I always share with young athletes: in sport, there is no magic, only days that no one films. This bronze medal did not come from luck. It came from repeating one movement over and over, from balls hitting the net and falling to the ground, from falls that seemed impossible to overcome. Every medal is a map, and I can only read it after getting lost. The difficult journey behind it is what gives this historic moment its true value. The joy of the Vietnam Teqball team did not last long. Ba Truong Giang and Le Anh Khoa entered the men's doubles bronze medal match hoping to win another medal, but they lost to a strong Iraqi pair. This failure was a big lesson. It showed that the depth of Vietnamese teqball is not yet even. While the mixed pair shone, the men's pair struggled to stay consistent against physically superior opponents. Meanwhile, Vietnamese karate also had good news. Bui Ngoc Nhi won a bronze medal in the women's individual Kata event. Kata is not direct combat like Kumite. It is a performance of technique patterns that simulate fighting imaginary opponents. Judges score based on speed, power, rhythm, balance and martial spirit. In her first match, Ngoc Nhi lost to Japan's Ono Maho 0-5, but she then defeated South Korea's Choi Haeun 5-0 and Singapore's Leong Wai Yee Shannon 4-1. Her recovery showed strong mentality, built through her achievements at SEA Games 33 and Asian youth tournaments. Ngoc Nhi and her teammates will face Nepal in the women's team Kata quarterfinals on September 22. She still has a chance to win more medals. Regardless of the result, her performance on September 20 sent a clear message: Vietnamese karate is not only strong in combat events, but also refined and disciplined in demonstration events. Looking at the overall medal table after nearly half a day of competition, China leads with 2 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 1 bronze medal. Lin Xinyu, competing in the women's triathlon, won China's first gold medal at this Asiad. Japan is second with 2 golds and 3 bronzes. Macao, South Korea and Kazakhstan each have one gold. Vietnam temporarily ranks ninth with two bronze medals. The two bronze medals are significant for Vietnam. Both came from very specific events: mixed teqball and karate kata. This shows that Vietnamese sport is not only focusing on traditional strengths such as shooting, weightlifting, taekwondo or football, but also looking for opportunities in new sports. In the increasingly competitive Asian sporting landscape, diversifying investment targets is a wise strategy. However, this bronze medal in teqball must also be seen soberly. One of the biggest traps in sport is euphoria after a sudden success. When a new sport immediately brings a medal, people often demand rapid expansion and heavy spending without remembering that quality is the real root. Without proper care, young sporting talent will fade quickly. Teqball is a young sport. Its rules are not too complicated, but success at continental level is extremely difficult. Countries with strong football backgrounds, such as Hungary, Brazil and Poland, are often strong in teqball because they already have players with excellent individual skills. Vietnam does not have that advantage, at least not at the moment. Therefore, the bronze medal won by Minh Tan and Gia Nghi is even more precious. It came from selective investment, from finding the right people and creating a suitable training environment. This is the formula that should be multiplied. I have followed many sports events over the past decade, and I realize that medals with lasting value usually come from solid foundations. They call it a miracle, but I call it a series of days that no one films. For Vietnamese teqball, that series of days is still very short. If we stop at celebrating the medal, we may only have memories by the next Asiad. If we turn this moment into motivation to build youth training systems, scout talent from football academies and introduce teqball in schools, then this medal will truly mean something. The story of Bui Ngoc Nhi is similar. Kata cannot be mastered overnight. A beautiful kata requires thousands of hours of practice so that the body remembers every angle of the limbs and the breathing rhythm. Ngoc Nhi went through that process seriously. Her achievements at SEA Games 33 and Asian youth tournaments were the foundation for today's Asiad medal. Without a systematic karate training system built over many years, there would be no Bui Ngoc Nhi standing on the podium. One important issue is the health and fitness of athletes. Injuries do not erase an athlete. They rewrite the athlete, muscle by muscle and breath by breath. During the preparation for Asiad 20, teqball and karate athletes had to train at very high intensity. Dense schedules, travel, time zone changes and weather can all affect performance. The coaching staff needs the support of sports medicine experts, nutritionists and psychologists to ensure that athletes compete in the best condition. In this context, those two bronze medals show the importance of investing in people comprehensively. Not only technique and tactics, but also recovery capacity, pressure management and motivation over a long journey. Athletes like Minh Tan, Gia Nghi and Ngoc Nhi deserve better support from the government, federations and sponsors. The medal table will change many times during this long Asiad. China and Japan are expected to stay at the top, but South Korea, Kazakhstan, Iran and Uzbekistan will also rise in their strong events. Vietnam must make full use of the early days, because its strong sports such as shooting, weightlifting, fencing, karate, taekwondo, swimming and athletics will enter decisive stages soon. Another important detail is that China's first gold medal at Asiad 20 was won by Lin Xinyu in the women's triathlon. This is a demanding sport combining swimming, cycling and running. China continues to show its strength in events that require scientific physical preparation. Vietnam needs a clear answer to a big question: when will we be able to compete strongly in such systematic sports? It is difficult, but not impossible. We must be honest that romantic stories about surprising medals often make us forget the dry numbers behind them. A teqball athlete at continental level requires international coaches, training equipment, nutrition and overseas training trips. A karate athlete performing kata requires a regular competition environment and objective evaluation from international referees. Without synchronized investment, early successes can easily become isolated peaks. I remember a conversation with a sports expert in Da Nang who once told me: before asking why an athlete won a medal, ask how they paid for it with their days and nights. That question always makes me think. The glory seen from the stands is only the tip of the iceberg. Beneath it are sweat, tears, pain and the refusal to give up. Minh Tan, Gia Nghi and Bui Ngoc Nhi are such people. They chose a harder, more disciplined path, and they deserve more than applause. At this moment, Vietnamese sport still needs good news. Asiad 20 has just begun, and the road ahead is long. The teqball bronze opens a new door, while the karate bronze confirms stability in a strategic sport. But sport does not live on memories. Sport lives on action. The next chapter of Minh Tan, Gia Nghi, Ngoc Nhi and the whole Vietnamese delegation will require the support of the entire community. For now, let the first medals become a precious spiritual boost for athletes still competing. They need to feel that their efforts are recognized. Then, after the congratulations, we must start the more important work: building a strong foundation so that medals like these are no longer surprises, but ordinary outcomes in the flow of Vietnamese sport. That is a goal truly worthy of the talents of Minh Tan, Gia Nghi and Bui Ngoc Nhi.