Thùy Linh: 'The Asian Games arena is very harsh, it is not easy to win a medal'

Nguyễn Thùy Linh, Vietnam's leading badminton hope, has shared candid insights about her international competitive journey ahead of the 20th Asian Games in Japan. This marks her third consecutive appearance at Asia's largest multi-sport event. In an interview with Dân trí, Linh acknowledged that the Asian Games environment is vastly different from regular circuit tournaments. "The Asian Games arena is very harsh, it is not easy to win a medal. Opponents are not only strong in technique but also backed by professional training systems, abundant funding, and top-tier foreign coaching staff," she stated. This reality highlights a significant gap in Vietnam's badminton development structure. According to experts, Vietnam's national badminton team currently lacks foreign coaching support at the senior team level — a standard feature among top regional nations like Indonesia, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei. Financial investment in Vietnamese sport in general, and badminton in particular, remains modest compared to medal contenders. The year 2026 was assessed by Linh as an unsuccessful year in her career trajectory. Despite two Olympic appearances, the athlete from Hải Dương province continues to face her greatest challenge: an insufficient support system commensurate with her individual efforts. She revealed that she often has to independently seek international training opportunities and competition slots, even self-funding a significant portion of her professional expenses. Approaching her third Asian Games, Linh refrains from setting mechanical medal targets. "I want to give my all in Japan, but we need to objectively assess where we stand within the Asian badminton system," she said. Observers note that if Vietnam wishes to compete on equal terms at the Asian Games, what is needed is not merely an outstanding individual like Linh, but a comprehensive investment structure — from talent identification and international-level coaching to top-tier nutrition and medical support. Evidence from other nations shows: stars only truly shine when the surrounding system is strong enough. The 20th Asian Games is scheduled to take place in Japan. Linh and the Vietnamese delegation are actively preparing for their highest achievable goals.