The team is focusing its medal ambitions on the women’s 5.4km and men’s 7.7km mountain cross-country races. The discipline returns to the Games after being absent from the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions.
Gia Lai’s contingent draws athletes from the Provincial Centre for Sports Training and Competition and the Pleiku Centre for Sports Training and Competition.
Sixteen athletes are entered for mountain cross-country, while 14 will compete in stadium events, with some taking part in both.
The mountain races are scheduled for November 20–23 at Bà Rá Mountain in Đồng Nai province. Stadium events will follow from November 27 to December 1 at Thống Nhất Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City.
Hồng Lệ won her marathon gold in March, when the Games’ men’s and women’s marathon events were staged alongside the Tiền Phong Newspaper National Long-Distance Championships. Her success has lifted the delegation’s confidence ahead of the remaining competitions.
Athletes at the provincial centre have been preparing for the mountain races on steep routes around Ghềnh Ráng in South Quy Nhơn ward, with additional sessions on Vũng Chua Mountain to increase the demands of training.
Runner Nguyễn Thị Kim Luyến said she and her teammates were determined to perform to their full potential and win medals for Gia Lai.
The Pleiku centre has combined daily training with camps at the summit of Pyâu in Lơ Pang commune about three times a month, giving athletes opportunities to refine their technique on challenging terrain.
Ngô Gia Hùng, the centre’s deputy director and athletics coach, said preparations began early, with around six months devoted to training tailored to individual athletes.
Two leading contenders, Nguyễn Thành Đạt and Hà Quang Thắng, have made significant progress since returning from national team duty, raising hopes of strong performances.
Hùng said this would be the Pleiku centre’s first National Sports Games athletics campaign since renewed investment in the sport began in 2020. He believes its athletes have reached their best competitive form and can challenge their rivals.
The approved athletics programme comprises 52 events: 44 individual and team stadium events for men and women, two mixed relays over 4x100m and 4x400m, and six road and mountain events covering the 20km race walk, marathon and mountain cross-country.
For the first time at a National Sports Games, athletes entered in women’s athletics events will be subject to sex verification requirements.
They must undergo testing and submit SRY gene certification to organisers at least 48 hours before the opening ceremony. Athletes who do not meet the requirements will be ineligible to compete.
For Gia Lai’s coaches, another concern is managing athletes competing in both mountain cross-country and stadium events.
The different terrain and demands of the two disciplines could affect individual performances, making training loads and recovery time central to preparations.
Huỳnh Minh Hiếu, athletics coach at the provincial centre, said the team hoped a strong start in mountain cross-country would build confidence for the stadium competitions.
He said a sound physical foundation and a relaxed mindset would give Gia Lai’s athletes the opportunity to produce standout performances.
