Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Vietnam led the medal tally at the eighth World Vovinam Championship 2025, which concluded on November 7 in Bali, Indonesia.
The Vietnamese team dazzled the competition, clinching an impressive 24 gold medals along with one silver, successfully defending their title as champions. Following closely, Algeria secured the runner-up position with nine golds, 10 silvers and five bronzes, while Cambodia rounded out the top three with seven golds, 11 silvers and five bronzes.
This year’s championship drew over 600 athletes from 26 countries and territories spanning four continents: Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania. They fiercely contested 45 sets of medals across both performance and combat categories. This tournament stands as a pinnacle event for elite martial artists, showcasing their skill, technique and indomitable spirit.
For the Vietnamese Vovinam team, this event was a golden opportunity to reaffirm their dominance after a series of successful national tournaments in 2025.
Master Florin Macovei, Permanent Vice President of the World Vovinam Federation, remarked on the competition's intensity, highlighting the participation of sports powerhouses like Japan, the Republic of Korea, Iran, France and Algeria. He noted the remarkable improvement in the quality of athletes from Japan and the Republic of Korea, expressing optimism for the future as countries invest in developing Vovinam talent.
The ninth World Vovinam Championship is set to take place in Algeria in 2027, marking a return to a nation that hosted the championship in 2015.
In a significant development, the Southeast Asian Vovinam Federation (SEAVF) Executive Committee held its meeting alongside the championship in Bali. The agenda included vital discussions on personnel adjustments for the new Executive Committee.
During the meeting, Ou Ratana, President of the Cambodian Vovinam Federation, was elected President of SEAVF. I Nyoman Yamadhiputra from Indonesia was appointed as the Permanent Vice President and General Secretary.
The newly elected Vice Presidents of the Southeast Asian Vovinam Federation are Nguyen Binh Dinh from Vietnam, Jop Malonzo from the Philippines, U Ye Mint from Myanmar and Santipharp Intaraphartn from Thailand.
Notably, Cambodia was unanimously chosen to host the 2026 Asian Vovinam Championship, marking a significant milestone in the advancement of the Vovinam movement across the region./.
Vietnam's top legislator visits Vovinam club in Senegal
The martial art has gained popularity across Senegal, with some 3,000 practitioners, making the country the second-largest Vovinam community in Africa, trailing only Algeria.
