HÀ NỘI — The 2026 National Youth Ice Skating Championships opened in Hà Nội on Saturday, attracting a record 112 athletes from six provinces and cities across Việt Nam.

The two-day event is taking place at Vincom Ice Rink in Royal City, Thanh Xuân Ward, with competitors from HCM City, Khánh Hòa, Quảng Ninh, Thái Nguyên, and Hà Nội.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Phạm Xuân Tài, deputy director of the Hà Nội Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the event would help strengthen the youth development base and improve prospects for Vietnamese ice skating in the coming years.

He noted that ice skating, an Olympic sport requiring endurance, technical skills, composure and creativity, offered athletes an opportunity to gain competition experience, demonstrate their training progress and develop their potential for regional and international events.

Athletes are competing for 29 sets of medals in speed skating and eight in figure skating.

For the first time, solo ice dance has been officially included in the national competition system, creating additional opportunities for athletes and encouraging clubs and localities to expand training in different skating disciplines.

The championships follow the rules and judging system of the International Skating Union (ISU). Seven international technical specialists, officials and judges from Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia have been invited to ensure the competition meets international standards.

Trịnh Thị Trang, vice president and general secretary of the Việt Nam Skating and Roller Sports Federation, said the event marked encouraging progress in both technical standards and athlete participation. The involvement of international officials with experience at the Olympic Games and world championships would also help Vietnamese athletes become more familiar with international standards, she added.

Medals and certificates will be awarded to the top three athletes in each event, with competitions ranked by individual men's and women's categories and age groups. — VNS