Beach handball 

 HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam defended their title of the Asian Women's Beach Handball Championship and secured a berth in the 2026 world championships.

The continental tournament closed on May 15 after the last match between reigning champions Việt Nam and the Philippines in Muscat, Oman.

The two sides were familiar rivals in Southeast Asia. In their meet in the regional championship in February it was Việt Nam the winner which then took the crown.

In their second meet after three months, the Vietnamese side still dominated the game and grabbed an impressive 2-0 (22-16, 25-20) to take the limelight.

The team even did not lose any set and were the only undefeated" side of the tournament.

It was their third win in a row, making them Asian undeniable No 1. The previous times were in 2022 and 2023. Việt Nam equaled the record of Thailand which also won three times from 2013 to 2017.

The victory made Việt Nam one of two Asian representatives, along with the Philippines, in the 2026 IHF Men's and Women's Beach Handball World Championships. 

In the previous world event in 2024 in China, Việt Nam placed No 9 among 16 teams, taking wins over strong rivals such as Australia, the US and the hosts. The result was much better their debut in Greece in 2022 where they finished No 13.

The Vietnamese women will later take part in the 2025 World Games in August in China. They took this slot thanked to their ninth position in the 2024 world championships. _ VNS