Athletes compete at the 2025 National Wrestling Club Championship held in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province from March 5 to 11. — VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Sơn

BÀ RỊA-VŨNG TÀU — Nearly 350 athletes and coaches from 18 clubs across the country are participating in the 2025 National National Wrestling Club Championship that opened on the morning of March 5 in the southern coastal province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu.

The 2025 National Wrestling Club Championship will run until March 11 at Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Gymnasium in Vũng Tàu City.

It is organised by the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the Việt Nam Wrestling Federation.

This year's championship features the participation of the wrestling teams from various localities and units, including Vĩnh Phúc, Thái Bình, Ninh Bình, Thái Nguyên, Nam Định, Cà Mau, Phú Thọ, Hà Nội, Bắc Ninh, along with police officers, soldiers and other forces.

Competitors will battle in both Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling through a single-elimination format across multiple weight categories.

Men’s Greco-Roman Wrestling: 48-50kg, 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 72kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg.

Men’s Freestyle Wrestling: 50-53kg, 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg, 79kg, 86kg, 92kg, 97kg and 125kg

Women’s Freestyle Wrestling: 44-46kg, 50kg, 53kg, 55kg, 57kg, 59kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg, 72kg and 76kg.

The National Wrestling Club Championship serves as more than just a competitive platform. It is an opportunity for athletes to gain experience, exchange techniques, and enhance their skills.

The event enables sports authorities to evaluate and select top wrestlers for national team training, with an eye toward major international tournaments, particularly the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand at the end of 2025.

The 2025 National Wrestling Club Championship will run from March 5 to 11 at the Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Gymnasium in Vũng Tàu City. — VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Sơn

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Tạ Đình Đức, head of Wrestling Division at the Sports Authority of Việt Nam, said this championship plays a crucial role in identifying promising athletes for specialised training programmes, both domestically and internationally.

“This not only provides a competitive stage for local athletes but also offers northern teams a chance to compete in the South, fostering exchange and experience sharing,” he said.

The first rounds of the men's freestyle competition took place in the following weight classes of 50-53kg, 57kg, 61kg, 65kg and 70kg.

Trần Thị Thu Hiền, deputy director of the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, highlighted the significance of sports events in promoting public health and high-performance sports in the province.

The province’s ambition is to become a hub for international and regional sports events, enhancing its sporting reputation and tourism appeal, she said.

The 2025 National Wrestling Club Championship serves as a key event to assess the training quality of local and sectoral sports programmes.

“It contributes to enriching the cultural and social life of the community while promoting the historical and tourism potential of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu,” she said.

The championship promises to deliver thrilling and intense matches, further strengthening wrestling in Việt Nam. — VNS