Kickboxing

Nguyễn Thị Hằng Nga of Việt Nam (right) winning gold at the 32nd SEA Games's 48kg kickboxing event. The 2024 Asian Kickboxing Championship will take place in Bình Định this July. — VNA/VNS Photos

BÌNH ĐỊNH — Việt Nam will host the 2024 Asian Kickboxing Championship for the first time in July in Bình Định Province.

President of the Việt Nam Kickboxing Federation Vũ Đức Thịnh believes this is the perfect place for the tournament to be held. 

"Bình Định is a land rich in martial arts tradition and has strongly developed sports," he said.

"The Asian Kickboxing Championship will help boost the development of the local sports movement.

"It will be a good opportunity for the province to promote its potential and strengths in tourism and attract many visitors. We highly appreciate Bình Định's ability to organise and host major events and hope that when the tournament is held here, it will be more successful than expected."

Following a proposal to the province's leaders for approval, the tournament would be held in July featuring fighters from 30 countries and regions. 

In the previous editions, the championship was held from seven to 10 days witnessing from 10,000 to 20,000 competitors, supporters and tourists to take part in offline fights and sideline activities. The bouts were viewed more than 200 million times through various online platforms.

Earlier, the Asian Kickboxing Federation sent email to the Sports Authorities of Việt Nam hoping that Việt Nam would be the host of the 2024 Asian Kickboxing Championship.

The continental body explained that after the success of the 31st SEA Games in 2022 which included kickboxing, Việt Nam should organise the 2024 championship with a view to push kickboxing development across the country and at the same time popularise Vietnamese images, people and culture to international friends.

Officials of the Việt Nam Kickboxing Federation and Bình Định Culture and Sports Department discuss plans for the event.

Deputy Director of Bình Định Province's Culture and Sports Department Bùi Trung Hiếu said department officials are working with those from the Asian Kickboxing Federation and Việt Nam Kickboxing Federation to unify the financial plan for the event in Quy Nhơn City.

Representatives of the Việt Nam Kickboxing Federation arrived in Bình Định on Tuesday to inspect the competition facilities, food, accommodation and transportation conditions to serve participants.

Kickboxing was first practised in Việt Nam in 2009 after it became an official sport of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. At this event, Vietnamese athletes took part for the first time but won two golds and two silvers.

The impressive achievement made up strong development of the sport in the country. Three national tournaments for senior, juniors and clubs are organised every year since 2010. Since then, kickboxing movement has grown strongly in both quantity and quality.

According to the Việt Nam Kickboxing Federation, the number of clubs and people participating in kickboxing training has increased rapidly in nearly 40 provinces and cities.

After 15 years of development, Việt Nam kickboxing has made impressive success internationally.

In its first time at the 30th SEA Games in 2019, athletes secured four golds. They made five at the 31st SEA Games on home ground and four at the 32nd Games in Cambodia last May. — VNS