Over the years, the position of Vietnamese Para Sports has been continuously affirmed in regional and continental arenas.
Therefore, the goal set by the Vietnam Paralympic Committee to contribute to the successful implementation of the Strategy for the Development of Vietnam's Physical Education and Sports to 2030, with a vision to 2045, is to continue to affirm the position of Para Sports, aiming to raise it to international level.
Athletes compete in the 2024 National Championships for Badminton, Table Tennis, Weightlifting, and Wheelchair Tennis for the Disabled. Photo: Thu Hang/VNA
Never stop improving
The period from 1995 to 2007 was the period when the domestic sports movement for the disabled had just begun to take shape. However, the first National Competition held in Quang Tri Province in 1997 attracted over 600 athletes to participate. Not only was the domestic movement developed, but the position of Vietnam's Sports for the Disabled in the regional arena was also gradually affirmed through each Congress.
In 2001, Vietnam participated in the Southeast Asian Para Games with 45 athletes, ranking 4th. At the 2nd Games, held in Vietnam in 2003, Vietnam Para Sports quickly improved its performance to 2nd place overall and continued to maintain this ranking at the 3rd Games held in Manila (Philippines) in 2005.
Since then, the physical education and sports movement for people with disabilities has developed strongly in many localities (45/63) provinces and cities; 33-35 provinces and cities regularly have athletes participating in national competitions and tournaments, attracting 1,300 athletes to participate, the number of people with disabilities participating in physical education and sports activities is over 25,000 people.
The position of Vietnamese Paralympic Sports has been constantly affirmed in the continental arena. At the 1st Asian Paralympic Games in 2010 in Guangzhou (China), the Vietnamese Paralympic Sports delegation ranked 12th out of 43 (3 Gold medals, 4 Silver medals, 10 Bronze medals); at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon (Korea), the achievement improved to 10th out of 45 countries and territories (9 Gold medals, 7 Silver medals and 13 Bronze medals).
Not stopping there, Vietnam Paralympic Sports reached out to the world arena to make its name on the gold medal list of the world's largest multi-sport event for Paralympic athletes. At the 15th Paralympics held in Rio De Janeiro (Brazil) in 2016 with the participation of 4,358 athletes from 162 countries and territories, the Vietnam Paralympic Sports delegation competed in 3/23 events, won 1 Gold medal, 1 Silver medal and 2 Bronze medals, ranked 55/162 countries and territories. This is considered the greatest success of Vietnam Paralympic Sports after 20 years of formation and development.
Secretary General and Chief of Office of the Vietnam Paralympic Committee Tran Duc Tho shared: Reality shows that the quality of the movement to mobilize people with disabilities to participate in physical training and sports is higher every year than the previous year, the number of sports clubs for people with disabilities, private facilities, rehabilitation centers, and education centers for disadvantaged children has been improved and the quality has been improved (490 facilities). The number of people with disabilities who regularly practice at sports clubs is over 8,000 people/year; The total number of regular participants is over 30,000 in provinces and cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Can Tho, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri, Thai Nguyen, Thai Binh, Khanh Hoa, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, Lang Son... attracting over 2,300 members in the following sports: Swimming, weightlifting, athletics, Judo for the visually impaired, wheelchair tennis, archery, Taekwondo, Yoga, dance sports, e-sports... Domestic sports tournaments are increasingly attracting a large number of organizations and clubs for the disabled. On average, each year, they attract over 1,200 - 1,300 athletes and coaches from 33-35 provinces and cities to participate...
Position yourself with specific goals
Vietnam Paralympic Sports has set goals and solutions to continue affirming its position, aiming to reach international level by 2030 and beyond, joining the era of national development.
Weightlifter Le Van Cong excellently won a bronze medal in the 49kg category of the 2024 Paralympic weightlifting event. Photo: VNA
In the period of 2024-2030, to strongly promote the movement, Vietnam Sports for the Disabled aims for 70% of provinces and cities nationwide to have sports clubs for the disabled and have sports facilities that ensure accessibility for the disabled; expand, popularize and develop 15 or more sports including: Athletics, swimming, weightlifting, chess, table tennis, badminton, Judo for the visually impaired, Taekwondo, archery, wheelchair tennis, dance sports, Yoga, football for the visually impaired (5 people), e-sports, Pickleball, Boccia and Park Golf... for the disabled to practice, attracting 35,000 - 40,000 participants. Complete the annual national championship system with the following sports: Badminton, table tennis, weightlifting, athletics, swimming and chess, Pickleball... attracting 1,300 or more athletes to participate.
Sports for the Disabled also aims to build a successor force through a system of talented sports students at the provincial and municipal levels, as well as maintain 55-60 athletes (additional 10-15 young athletes), who regularly train at national and local Sports Training Centers to be ready to participate in international competitions.
At the regional, continental and world arenas, Para Sports set the following goals: Top 4 at the 13th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand; have a Gold medal at the Asian Games held in Japan in 2026; strive to have 7-10 athletes qualified to participate in the Los Angeles Paralympics (USA) in 2028 in 3 key sports: Athletics, swimming and weightlifting and aim to have medals.
Many key solutions help realize the set goals
In order to build a system of solutions to effectively implement the set goals, contributing to the realization of the Strategy for the development of physical training and sports in Vietnam to 2030, with a vision to 2045, Sports for the Disabled also frankly acknowledged the shortcomings and limitations it is facing. That is, some provinces and cities have not really seen the benefits of sports in changing the lives of people with disabilities, contributing to social stability. While the disabled athletes of countries with strengths in the world are very young, have outstanding achievements, and have highly specialized training quality for athletes, Sports for the Disabled in Vietnam does not have a source of young athletes to succeed them...
Sharing about this issue, Secretary General and Chief of Office of the Vietnam Paralympic Committee Tran Duc Tho said: Vietnamese disabled athletes have a higher average age compared to athletes in the region, continent and the world. However, we do not have a source of young athletes to follow. Athletes suffer many injuries during training and competition, and the injuries have not been completely treated, affecting the athletes' performance in competition...
Based on the above reality, in the coming time, Vietnam Sports for the Disabled will focus on improving the effectiveness of communication work in the social community about the effects and benefits of physical exercise and sports in improving physical strength and health, helping people with disabilities integrate into the community and creating conditions for them to have the courage to rise up and take control of their lives; closely coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training, organizations, federations, and national sports associations to develop movements, grassroots clubs, organize competitions, and create sports playgrounds in the community.
The orientation of developing high-performance sports for people with disabilities to select young athletes is the solution that Vietnam Sports for People with Disabilities aims for in order to build a successor force. In addition, mobilizing social resources, promoting the role of social work to support and accompany sports events for people with disabilities; supporting athletes with disabilities when they retire from competition is one of the contents that the Vietnam Paralympic Committee focuses on, so that sports will truly become a bridge to help people with disabilities proactively integrate into the community and create conditions for them to have the courage to rise up and take control of their lives.
Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/the-thao-nguoi-khuet-tat-viet-nam-huong-den-muc-tieu-nang-tam-quoc-te-20250203094010561.htm
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