Gia Lai’s delegation secured 16 gold, 8 silver, and 9 bronze medals, ranking behind only Dak Lak among eight participating provinces and cities. Of these, Nguyen Chi Thanh High School athletes delivered nine gold medals, reinforcing the school’s reputation as a “gold mine” for ethnic minority sports.
According to Nguyen Truong Phong, Head of the Physical Education and National Defense Education Department, the school began restructuring its training approach after the 2023 festival, hosted by Gia Lai, yielded disappointing results in stick pushing, tug of war, and crossbow shooting. This prompted collaboration with provincial sports agencies and education authorities to develop specialized teams and systematic training programs.
At the start of the 2023–2024 academic year, teachers identified students with natural abilities in ethnic minority sports and provided enhanced coaching. The school invested heavily in equipment including mats, belts, protective gear, specialized shoes, crossbows, slingshots, and arrows. Coaches also consulted with experts from northern mountainous provinces to improve crossbow performance.
With a stable training system, the school’s athletes dominated provincial tournaments and advanced to national competitions. In 2023, 2024, and 2025, students continued bringing home medals from national championships, youth tournaments, and national cup events.
This year, Nguyen Chi Thanh High School contributed 38 of Gia Lai’s 95 athletes. Among them, student Ly Ha Lan from class 10A3 won two gold medals in stick pushing and tug of war, expressing pride in representing the province so early in her academic journey.
Nguyen Van Y, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, praised the teachers’ dedication and affirmed continued support to develop young athletes into key contributors for Gia Lai’s ethnic minority sports teams in future national tournaments.
