Hai Phong canoeing team confident of gold-medal haul
With thorough preparations and a quality lineup of athletes, Hai Phong canoeing is confident of winning multiple gold medals at the 10th National Sports Games.
Affirming position
2026 continues to see impressive performances by Hai Phong canoeing on the national stage. The city paddlers have repeatedly finished first overall at major competitions, demonstrating consistent performance and depth in the squad.
At the 2026 National Canoeing Championships, Hai Phong team came first with 15 gold medals, 9 silver medals and 4 bronze medals, beating strong teams from Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, the People's Public Security and Ha Noi.
At the 2026 National Strong Canoeing Teams Championships, Hai Phong athletes again topped the overall standings with 19 gold medals, 9 silver medals and 5 bronze medals.
In youth development, at the 2026 National Youth, U21 and U23 Canoeing Championships, Hai Phong won 17 gold medals, 15 silver medals and 22 bronze medals, further affirming its leading position.
These results show that the strength of Hai Phong canoeing does not come from just a few outstanding individuals but is built on a well-balanced squad, strong competitive spirit and determination. This provides a foundation for the city paddlers to face their rivals with confidence at the 10th National Sports Games, the biggest high-performance sporting event for Hai Phong in 2026.
Ready to target gold medals
A highlight of Hai Phong canoeing's preparations has been its international training camps. In 2026, the team spent time training at the Royal Thai Rowing Center and competed at the Asian Championships in China and the Asian U23 Canoeing Championships in Kazakhstan.
According to the coaching staff, training in an environment with good facilities and regularly competing against foreign athletes have helped Hai Phong paddlers improve their skills, tactics and competitive mentality.
Veteran paddler Do Thi Thanh Thao shared her experience of the training camp in Thailand: “With good boats and training facilities, we have more opportunities to improve our performance. Training alongside Thai athletes also helps us learn more about tactics and techniques and improve ourselves.”
Alongside experienced athletes, Hai Phong canoeing is also placing its hopes on the younger generation. These athletes are gradually proving their abilities and providing a succession of talent for the team. The combination of the experience of veteran athletes and the aspirations of younger ones is an important foundation for Hai Phong canoeing to pursue major goals.
At the 10th National Sports Games, Hai Phong canoeing aims to capitalize on its strengths in events such as women's K2, women's K4, mixed K4, men's K4 and men's K2. Coach Nguyen Thi Loan said the team is targeting 15 to 17 gold medals.
With serious preparations, consistent results at national competitions and a promising young squad coming into its own, Hai Phong canoeing is confident of achieving a strong haul of gold medals at the 10th National Sports Games, which will take place in Ho Chi Minh City in December 2026.
DIEP NHI