Culture - Sports

Vietnam top Southeast Asian Pencak Silat Championships

Vietnamese athletes won 20 gold, nine silver and one bronze medal to finish first overall. Malaysia placed second with six gold, 17 silver and three bronze, followed by Singapore with three gold, one silver and six bronze.

Titih Hayati, head of the Technical Committee of the International Pencak Silat Federation, presents awards to athletes competing in the men’s team performance event at the 2026 Southeast Asian Pencak Silat Championships. (Photo: VNA)
Titih Hayati, head of the Technical Committee of the International Pencak Silat Federation, presents awards to athletes competing in the men’s team performance event at the 2026 Southeast Asian Pencak Silat Championships. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Vietnam topped the medal table at the fifth Southeast Asian Pencak Silat Championships 2026, which concluded in Ho Chi Minh City on September 29.

Vietnamese athletes won 20 gold, nine silver and one bronze medal to finish first overall. Malaysia placed second with six gold, 17 silver and three bronze, followed by Singapore with three gold, one silver and six bronze.

Held from September 24-29, the championships brought together nearly 150 athletes from Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore, competing in 30 events.

Vietnam reached the finals in 29 events. In the performance category, the team won two gold, four silver and one bronze medal, while its fighters secured 16 golds in combat events. Vietnam also claimed gold in both women’s 85-100kg and over-100kg classes.

Head coach Nguyen Van Hung said the tournament provided an important test for the national squad, particularly young athletes, and helped the coaching staff assess the team ahead of upcoming competitions, including the 34th SEA Games in Malaysia.

vnanet-potal-viet-nam-gianh-ngoi-nhat-toan-doan-giai-vo-dich-pencak-silat-dong-nam-a-2026-9056622-2.jpg
Vietnamese athletes celebrate their top finishes at the 2026 Southeast Asian Pencak Silat Championships. (Photo: VNA)

The championships also gave Vietnamese athletes valuable experience with new competition rules, allowing them to adjust their techniques and tactics ahead of the 10th National Sports Games.

The event was jointly organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports and the Vietnam Sports Authority under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as part of preparations for the 21st World Pencak Silat Championships in Uzbekistan in December./.

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