The Vietnamese team at the Southeast Asia Finswimming Championship and Southeast Asia Age Group Finswimming Championship 2026 in Malaysia. — Photo courtesy of VASA

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam topped the medal table at the Southeast Asia Finswimming Championship and Southeast Asia Age Group Finswimming Championship 2026 in Malaysia, winning 160 medals: 92 golds, 62 silvers and six bronzes.

The competitions took place from October 29 to 31 at the MBJB Aquatic Centre in Johor Bahru, bringing together divers from across the region.

Việt Nam sent a 62-member delegation, including 46 athletes. Among them, Nguyễn Thành Lộc stood out as a former world championships bronze medallist. The squad combined experienced competitors with young talents across individual, relay and age-group events.

The national team made a strong start on October 29, collecting 32 golds, 21 silvers and two bronzes on opening day. Việt Nam maintained form throughout the competition to finish well clear at the top of the standings.

This result continued Việt Nam's strong run in regional and continental diving competitions. At the 2025 Southeast Asian Finswimming Championships in Indonesia, the country also topped the senior standings with 31 golds, 22 silvers and six bronzes. Its age-group divers added 24 golds, 15 silvers and 13 bronzes to finish first in their category.

Earlier in September, Việt Nam also dominated the 2026 Asian Junior Finswimming Championships in China, winning 33 golds, 31 silvers and 15 bronzes to finish above the host country in the overall medal standings.

The successive results highlight the strength of Việt Nam's finswimming programme and its development of young athletes, providing a strong foundation for further challenges on the international stage. — VNS