Shooting 

Thanh Hà

Young sharpshooter Nguyễn Thùy Trang is truly tenacious with a sport pistol in her hand.

Trang recently not only secured Việt Nam’s first international championship title of the year but also claimed her first-ever Asian individual gold medal in early February.

Her achievement highlighted her exceptional shooting talent and signalled strong potential to bring even greater success to the country in the future.

Trang was the only Vietnamese winner at the 2026 Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship, where she overcame many strong rivals including national champion Trịnh Thu Vinh, the SEA Games winner and record holder, in the women's 25m pistol event. 

She went on to beat Indian Bhaker Manu, who won Paris Olympic bronze medal, in the final shoot-off to take the gold medal.

It was a big leap for the young shooter after her first Asian title in the 10m pistol event of the lower-level Asian Shotgun Cup in 2023.

The 21-year-old was strongly praised after her performance and is expected to receive better care to develop her ability and reach higher achievements.

“Trang has shown remarkable resilience in both training and competition,” said Vinh, the national No 1 female shooter and world No 19. “She achieved incredible success at her very first SEA Games and Asian Championship, results that even I was unable to accomplish at first.”

 

Regional breakthrough

Vinh was referring to Trang’s performance at SEA Games 33, where she won two gold medals, two silver medals and set one record, helping Việt Nam affirm its domination in regional shooting.

The silver medals came in the 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events. From the very beginning of both finals, Trang delivered outstanding performances and was widely expected to claim her first individual titles.

However, a lack of experience and nerves during the final shots allowed Vinh, the former Asian mixed team champion, to secure the gold instead.

In fact, Trang's breakout was not a matter of luck. Prior to that, at the 2025 Southeast Asian Shooting Championships, also held in Thailand, the shooter nicknamed "Doraemon" had sent powerful warnings to her competitors.

She bagged two individual gold medals in the junior tournament before taking two other in the senior competition's mixed doubles and team events. 

“When training, I am always focused, learn from my seniors and try to improve myself as much as possible. When competing, I remain completely calm and feel no pressure. I am very happy to have won my first medal at the SEA Games,” Trang told reporters in Thailand in December.

She said it was a pity that she did not win an individual gold of the regional Games but would achieve better results in the later competitions. Indeed, she kept her promise with the Asian title in India.

 

Eyes on Asiad

"Shooting brings me many positive things in life and I will continue nurture my passion and strive for more achievements," she said.

Her next important event would be the 20th Asian Games in September in Japan. In her second appearance at the Games, Trang expects to make an impact.

"At this level, I will face all strongest shooters in Asia. I have learned a lot from the 19th Games and recent international competitions. I really believe that I will at least achieve better result than in the previous Games. The Asian championship gold will be a strong motivation for me," she said.

Coach Trần Quốc Cường said that although she was the youngest member, Trang showed high level of performance in different tournaments.

"Her result in India is very encouraging. She remained highly focused and performed strongly to secure the gold," Cường said. "She is one of the key pistol shooters being specially prepared for and expected to contend for medals at the 20th Asian Games.” — VNS