Badminton player Nguyễn Thị Thu Huyền returned to Vietnam with coach Ngô Trung Dũng on November 7 after completing her programme at the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar. Sài Gòn Giải Phóng reported that she will next prepare to represent Đồng Nai at her first National Sports Games.
Thu Huyền won two women's singles group matches and lost one in Senegal, a record that did not take her into the next round. She was Vietnam's only badminton representative at the Youth Olympics, according to the national sports authority.
Two wins in Group E
The sports authority reported that Thu Huyền opened with a 21-14, 21-15 victory over Iran's Zahra Robati. Thể thao Việt Nam Plus said she then defeated Algeria's Chiraz Halimi 21-7, 21-13.
Her final Group E opponent was seventh seed Kungkaew Kakanik of Thailand. Thu Huyền lost a close opening game 23-21 and the second 21-11, the sports publication reported. The defeat ended her Dakar campaign with two wins from three matches.
Thu Huyền and swimmer Dương Văn Hoàng Quy were chosen as Vietnam's flagbearers at the opening ceremony. Badminton was held at Dakar Arena from November 1 to 5, with Ngô Trung Dũng accompanying the player in Senegal.
Next competition for Đồng Nai
The National Sports Games badminton programme is scheduled for November 15-25 at Hồ Xuân Hương Arena in Ho Chi Minh City, Sài Gòn Giải Phóng reported. The Đồng Nai squad also includes Nguyễn Thùy Linh, Đào Khánh Linh and Ngô Ngọc Minh Châu.
The newspaper listed Thu Huyền at No. 274 in the women's singles world rankings at the time of its report. Thể thao Việt Nam Plus said she was born in 2011 and won U15 women's singles silver at the 2024 Asian junior championships in China.
Wushu athlete Nguyễn Khắc Lê Hoàng and swimmers Dương Văn Hoàng Quy and Nguyễn Thúy Hiền have also completed their Youth Olympics programmes and returned home, according to Sài Gòn Giải Phóng. Rankings and results are given at the dates of the cited reports.