Lam Dong Promotes Wider Participation in Sports
The first Lam Dong Provincial Sports Games 2026 brought competitions to communes and wards across the province, helping expand grassroots sports participation and encouraging residents to stay active and healthy.
Bringing Sports Competitions to Communities Across Lam Dong
According to Ho Van Chuong, head of the Mass Sports Division at the Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center, the Organizing Committee prioritized holding competitions in different communes and wards rather than concentrating all events at a single venue. The approach aims to promote grassroots sports development and create more opportunities for local residents to participate. Competitions were held in localities including Tanh Linh, Duc Trong, Gia Nghia, Bao Loc and Phan Thiet.
Commune-level sports games took place from November 2025 to May 2026. The first Lam Dong Provincial Sports Games 2026 followed from February to September 2026, with competitions divided into 2 phases.
The first phase, running from February to August 2026, featured 14 sports held across communes, wards and the special administrative zone in the province. The events included cross-country running and Ta Cu Mountain climbing, pickleball, cycling, table tennis, Chinese chess, chess, women’s soft volleyball, swimming, badminton, 11-a-side men’s football, men’s and women’s volleyball, karate, taekwondo and traditional martial arts.
The second phase took place in September 2026, featuring the opening and closing ceremonies and competitions in the remaining 8 sports: men’s futsal, Vovinam, billiards, stilt racing, athletics, tug-of-war, crossbow and slingshot shooting, and stick pushing. These events were held at Xuan Huong–Da Lat, Lang Biang–Da Lat, Binh Thuan and Phan Thiet wards.
According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the games recorded 3,120 athlete entries, including 2,104 male and 1,016 female entries, across 47 sports delegations. These comprised 20 local clusters and 27 delegations representing government agencies, departments, sectors, the armed forces, schools and businesses.
A total of 998 medals were awarded: 292 gold, 291 silver and 415 bronze.
The Department of Education and Training topped the medal table with 105 gold, 66 silver and 42 bronze medals. Its delegation also fielded strong competitors across numerous events.
Cluster 5, comprising wards and communes in the Bao Loc and Bao Lam areas, placed second with 25 gold, 32 silver and 39 bronze medals. Cluster 19, representing communes in the Tanh Linh area, ranked third with 21 gold, 2 silver and 18 bronze medals.
Notably, the Department of Education and Training also led the standings among delegations representing provincial departments and agencies, the armed forces, schools and businesses.
Building Momentum for Grassroots Sports
According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the merger and reorganization of administrative units, together with the introduction of the two-tier local government system, significantly affected the organization of sports games at various levels. These changes influenced event scale and implementation schedules, efforts to mobilize social funding, and the ability to secure supporting resources.
Financial constraints posed additional challenges. Some communes and wards were not sufficiently active in participating in competitions organized within their sports clusters. Limited funding also prevented some localities and organizations from entering all events on the program. Others either did not participate or registered only for sports in which they had a competitive advantage.
Despite these difficulties, the first Lam Dong Provincial Sports Games 2026 achieved encouraging results.
Huynh Ngoc Tam, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said one of the games’ key achievements was their coordinated organization from the grassroots to the provincial level. All communes, wards and the special administrative zone in the province completed their local-level sports games.
This provides an important foundation for further expanding mass participation in sports and encouraging residents throughout Lam Dong to exercise regularly and improve their health.
Held on a large scale, the games strengthened connections among regions, localities and different groups, reflecting the spirit of unity in Lam Dong following the administrative reorganization.
The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism directed the Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center to prepare athletes thoroughly, increase training and competitive experience, and ensure adequate funding, nutrition, medical care, equipment and logistical support for the provincial delegation.The department also called for stronger athlete management and thorough preparations for the National Sports Games, with the aim of meeting the targets set for the competition.
The opening and closing ceremonies made a strong impression in terms of imagery and media coverage, helping promote Lam Dong as a region rich in cultural identity, blessed with beautiful landscapes and home to dynamic, warm-hearted people.
The games also helped identify many promising young athletes who could be selected and trained to compete in national and international events in the future.Huynh Ngoc Tam, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism