Athletes compete at the 2026 national beach Kurash championship, which opened in HCM City on March 6. — VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Sơn

HCM CITY — More than 200 athletes from 12 teams nationwide are competing at the 2026 national beach Kurash championship at Bãi Sau (Back Beach) Park in HCM City from March 6 to 8.

The event is jointly organised by the city’s Department of Culture and Sports and the Vietnam Sports Administration as part of activities marking the 80th anniversary of Việt Nam’s Sports and Physical Training Day (March 27, 1946-2026).

Athletes are competing in individual combat events under the international Kurash rules issued in 2018.

Matches follow a single-elimination format, while groups with three competitors compete in a round-robin system.

A total of 19 sets of medals are being contested, including nine men’s weight categories from under 50kg to over 100kg and ten women’s divisions from under 42kg to over 87kg.

Following the opening ceremony, bouts began in several categories, including the men’s 50kg, 55kg and 60kg divisions, and the women’s 70kg, 78kg, 87kg and over-87kg classes.

Nguyễn Hữu An from the High-Performance Sports Department under the Vietnam Sports Administration said the championship provides an opportunity to identify promising athletes for the national team ahead of international competitions in 2026.

“The tournament also allows us to assess the work of coaches, referees and organisers,” he said.

The competition arena is set up near the beach in an open setting.

The 14m by 14m ring is built to international standards with protective barriers and a 30cm layer of fine sand to ensure athletes’ safety.

Trần Thị Thu Hiền, deputy director of the city’s Department of Culture and Sports, said hosting the tournament helps promote both sports development and coastal tourism.

The city plans to organise more beach sports events in the Vũng Tàu area and work with the Vietnam Sports Administration to attract international tournaments, strengthening links between sports and tourism, she said.

The first national beach Kurash championship opened on March 12 and 13, 2025. — VNS