ASIAD 20: Vietnamese boxer defeats world champion to reach final
VOV.VN - Vietnamese boxer Nguyen Thi Tam defeated two-time world champion Alua Balkibekova of Kazakhstan 5-0 in the women’s 51kg semifinal at the 2026 Asian Games (ASAID 20) on September 30, setting up a title clash with reigning Olympic champion Wu Yu of China.
Balkibekova, ranked third in the world in the women’s 51kg division by World Boxing in June 2026, was widely regarded as one of the toughest opponents in the weight class. The Kazakh boxer is a two-time Asian champion and two-time world champion.
Tam controlled the bout with her footwork, distance management and well-timed attacks at Nishio Gymnasium. All five judges awarded her the victory after three rounds, sending the Vietnamese boxer into the final with a 5-0 win.
Balkibekova had also produced a strong run at the Asian Games, edging Japan’s Yuna Nishinaka 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Tam had earlier beaten the Republic of Korea’s Bak Chorong 5-0 in the quarterfinals to secure at least a bronze medal.
The victory over Balkibekova takes Tam one step closer to improving on her bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games. She also won a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships and is a two-time Asian champion.
In the final slated for 11 a.m. on October 1, Nguyen Thi Tam will face strong rival Wu Yu of China.
Wu Yu is currently one of the most prominent figures in Chinese women's boxing. She is the 2023 World Champion and the reigning Olympic champion. As of the June 2026 World Boxing rankings, Wu Yu held the world number one spot in the women's 51kg, two places higher than Balkibekova.
At ASIAD 2026 Wu showed her dominance right from the opening rounds. In the quarter-finals, the Chinese boxer defeated Mongolia's Oyuntsetseg Yesugen with a decisive 5-0 score to progress to the semi-finals.
In another women’s boxing semifinal on September 30, Vietnam’s Luu Diem Quynh lost 0-5 to China’s Bao Ziyi in the 75kg division. The result earned Quynh a bronze medal, giving her medals at two consecutive Asian Games.
As of 3 p.m. on September 30, the Vietnamese sports delegation had won 2 gold, 1 silver and 18 bronze medals at the ASIAD 2026. They aim to secure 4 gold medals and rank among Top 20 overall.
ASIAD 2026: Vietnam claims second gold with women's sepak takraw victory
VOV.VN - Vietnam has secured its second gold medal at the 20th Asian Games (ASIAD 2026) in Japan after Nguyen Thi Thu Trang and Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly defeated their Philippine opponents in the women’s doubles Sepak Takraw final in Nagoya on September 29.
