Karate

Nguyễn Thị Diệu Ly lands a kick on Kama Tsubasa during their 68kg final at the 2026 Asian Karate Championships. — Photo courtesy of the AKF

Thanh Hà

HÀ NỘI — After conquering Asia, Nguyễn Thị Diệu Ly has emerged as Việt Nam’s brightest hope for karate gold at the 20th Asian Games in Japan this September. Her victory at the 2026 Asian Karate Championships has elevated the 21-year-old into the spotlight as one of the country's most promising athletes.

She successfully defeated Japan's Kama Tsubasa 5-1 in the women's 68kg final, becoming the only champion from Việt Nam.

Her victory was highly praised as Tsubasa is a prominent 22-year-old karateka from Japan, the birthplace of karate.

“Winning the individual gold medal at the 2026 Asian Championships is a memorable milestone for me," Ly said.

"My coaches prepared me thoroughly, which gave me the confidence and determination I needed going into the competition. I achieved my goal, and it was an incredible experience. I'm truly grateful to my teammates and everyone who supported me throughout the journey."

Nguyễn Thị Diệu Ly (right) beats Li Qiaoqiao of China in the semi-final. Photo courtesy of the AKF

Ly and her teammates also bagged a team bronze at the tournament, which qualified them to compete in the 2026 Karate World Cup in China this November.

Ly began practising karate at the age 12 in 2017 at the Military Sport Centre. She was inspired by her sister, Nguyễn Thị Ngoan, one of the most decorated karateka in Việt Nam over the last decade.

Ly was quickly captivated by the power of the martial art and longed to test her skills.

“I was still a little girl at that time but received support from my coaches and, especially, my sister," said Ly. "I have to thank her very much. She is my idol, who motivates me to train and compete well.”

However, what truly drove Ly to commit to karate was the importance of speed and timing.

"These factors are the keys to the victory. The right moment to deliver an accurate punch or kick is measured in a split second. Fighters have to seize the moment to score a point."

"With a match lasting only two minutes, there is little time to think, so absolute focus is required to leverage speed and strike at the right moment to gain the upper hand over an opponent," she added.

Ly’s natural aptitude and steely mindset are highly regarded.

"Ly caught our scouts' attention at a youth tournament, where she demonstrated excellent potential for karate as well as a strong competitive spirit," said national head coach Phạm Hồng Hà. "These qualities earned her a call-up to the national youth team, where she has consistently shown perseverance and rapid progress."

Building momentum

Nguyễn Thị Diệu Ly is Việt Nam's gold medal hope at the Asian Games 2026. — Photo courtesy of SAV

Meanwhile coach Dương Hoàng Long said Ly was a promising young athlete with a solid foundation in fitness and technique, as well as strong attacking capabilities, particularly with her kicks.

"At the time she had areas that needed improvement, but she also had tremendous room to grow thanks to her height, agility, quick footwork, tenacity, and strong competitive composure," Long said.

What she needed most was regular exposure to international competitions to gain valuable experience, refine her technique and fully realise her potential.

The year 2022 was considered the first major milestone in her career when she won a gold medal at the World Cadet, Junior and U21 Karate Championships in Turkey, which featured nearly 2,000 athletes from over 100 countries and regions.

Coach Hà said the gold medal was a historic achievement, opening a promising new chapter for the future of Vietnamese karate.

Nguyễn Thị Diệu Ly (left) celebrates with her teammates after winning the women's team gold medal at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand. — Photo courtesy of SAV

Ly proved her coach was right as she not only dominated the national arena but also regional Southeast Asian Karate Championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025 alongside Asian and SEA Games team titles in 2025.

Next up, Ly and her teammates are competing to defend their titles at the Southeast Asian Championships in Ninh Bình Province.

“Home support will be a great advantage for my athlete but as the Asian champion, Ly will be researched carefully by rivals. But we believe that she will maintain her focus," Hà said.

Ly also has her own target.

"I witnessed my sister winning a silver medal at the previous Asian Games. I really admire her and want to be successful like her, or even do better," Ly said.

The coaching staff will pick the best athlete in each category for the Games in Japan to ensure the best possible result for Việt Nam.

"I hope my performance will persuade them to give me the opportunity to shine," Ly added. "It will be a tough challenge, but I will try my best to bring home the title." VNS