Bali, Indonesia — November 7, 2025.
The 8th World Vovinam Championships 2025 wrapped up successfully in Bali, bringing together more than 600 athletes from 26 countries and territories across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania. Over the course of six days (November 2–7), competitors battled for 45 sets of medals, including 26 performance (technical forms) and 19 combat divisions.
Far more than just a competition, this world-class event marked another milestone in the journey to realize the Olympic dream for Vietnam’s traditional martial art – Vovinam.
A Global Stage for Martial Excellence
The championship served as the most prestigious platform for elite Vovinam practitioners worldwide to demonstrate their skill, discipline, and martial spirit. For national teams, particularly Team Vietnam, it was both a proving ground and an opportunity to reaffirm their dominant position following domestic successes throughout 2025. The event also provided an accurate measure of Vovinam’s technical growth and competitive standard on the international stage.
Strong Field and Rising Standards
According to Master Florin Macovei, Executive Vice President of the World Vovinam Federation (WVVF):
“This year’s tournament saw participation from major sporting nations such as Japan, South Korea, Iran, France, and Algeria. Notably, Japan and South Korea — both martial arts powerhouses — have made remarkable progress in the quality of their athletes. We believe the number and standard of competitors will continue to rise as more countries invest in developing Vovinam.”
Vietnam Retains the Championship Title
Competing with 39 athletes across both performance and combat events, the Vietnamese national team faced intense and closely contested bouts. After a week of high-level competition, Vietnam emerged triumphant once again, securing 24 gold medals and 1 silver medal to successfully defend their overall championship title.
The battle for second place came down to Algeria and Cambodia, two nations with strong development programs and large contingents. After a tight race lasting until the final events, Algeria claimed second place overall with 9 gold, 10 silver, and 5 bronze medals, while Cambodia finished third with 7 gold, 11 silver, and 5 bronze medals.
Looking Ahead
The 9th World Vovinam Championships will be held in Algeria in 2027, marking a return to the African nation that previously hosted the event in 2015.
Report and Photos: Lê Giang