The championship, held from August 17 to 26 at the Thanh Hoa Provincial Sports Arena, has drawn more than 700 athletes from 25 teams representing provinces, cities, the Army and Police sectors nationwide.
Gia Lai has entered 76 athletes, the second-largest delegation at the tournament, behind Ho Chi Minh City with 112. However, only 20 Gia Lai athletes are competing in combat events, leaving the team with fewer opportunities to accumulate results across weight categories.
The squad includes 15 athletes from the Bình Định Traditional Martial Arts Center and five recruited from local clubs. The additional athletes trained with the team for about a month before the championship.
Coach Lê Trung Kỳ said the short preparation period was likely to affect performances, but the combat team was still aiming for a top-three finish.
Gia Lai faces similar constraints in the forms competition. Only nine athletes are officially on the youth forms team, while another 17 from clubs and grassroots dojos joined joint training two to three weeks before the tournament.
The 26-member forms squad has entered 29 events, compared with 46 entries from Ho Chi Minh City. Coach Nguyễn Quốc Sỹ said Gia Lai, which finished second overall last year, would focus on retaining that position rather than challenging for first place because of the gap in entries.
The team’s options were further restricted by tournament registration rules requiring athlete lists to be completed three months in advance.
Some athletes who delivered strong performances at the 2026 Hoàng đế Quang Trung Cup Traditional Martial Arts Club and Dojo Championship therefore could not be added to Gia Lai’s roster.
Grassroots athletes also face financial constraints because their training and competition costs are funded through socialization, with families covering expenses.
Combat competition is divided into three age groups: 12-13, 14-15 and 16-17. The 12-13 category features 19 weight classes for boys and girls, while the two older groups compete across 42 weight categories. Athletes aged 12-13 and 14-15 compete on mats, while those aged 16-17 fight in the ring.
Forms competition is divided into the 6-10, 11-14 and 15-17 age groups and includes compulsory and optional forms, group forms and paired routines.
Compulsory events for athletes aged 6-10 include Căn bản công pháp số 1, Thần Đồng Quyền, Thanh Long Độc Kiếm, Lão Hổ Thượng Sơn and Thái Sơn Côn.
The 11-14 group competes in Căn bản công pháp số 2, Ngọc Trản Quyền, Huỳnh Long Độc Kiếm, Phong Hoa Đao and Bát Quái Côn, while the 15-17 category features Căn bản công pháp số 3, Lão Mai Quyền, Siêu Xung Thiên, Độc Lư Thương and Song Tuyết Kiếm.
For optional forms, competitors may select bare-hand or weapons routines characteristic of traditional martial arts, including single saber, single sword, double swords, great saber, long spear, long staff, three-section staff and two-section staff.
Paired routines are contested in three formats: bare hand against bare hand, bare hand against weapon, and weapon against weapon. Each routine involves three to five athletes and may feature male, female or mixed-gender teams.
Under tournament regulations, each athlete may enter only one combat weight category and up to three forms events: one compulsory or optional form, one paired routine and one group form.
An event can take place only when at least three athletes or teams from three different units have registered.
Despite its personnel and financial constraints, Gia Lai is seeking strong results at the national championship while using the competition to demonstrate the potential of its next generation of traditional martial arts athletes for future national-team selection.