Tran Minh Tri's bronze in the men's 65kg weightlifting at the 2026 Asian Games was hard-earned. The event brought together Asia's top lifters, and Tri had to keep his cool to beat some big names.
On September 24, Tri started the snatch with a clear plan. He lifted 136kg, then 139kg. He missed his last attempt at 141kg. In the clean and jerk, he opened with 167kg, tried for 170kg, and made a strong but missed attempt at 173kg. His total was 309kg. That put him in third, 7kg ahead of Indonesia's Eko Yuli Irawan, a veteran in the sport. VOV and VTV reported that this was Vietnam's first weightlifting medal at the 2026 Asian Games, making Tri's result a big moment for the national team.
He Yueji of China set a new world record in the snatch with 152kg during the men's 65kg final, but ultimately took silver due to a lower clean and jerk total.
The fight for gold and silver was tight. North Korea's Pak Myong Jin won with a 328kg total (146kg snatch, 182kg clean and jerk). China's He Yuji finished just one kilogram behind at 327kg (152kg snatch, 175kg clean and jerk). Tri's bronze was never in danger from those behind him. Xinhua and VOV both confirmed how close the contest was at the top.
Vietnam's sports officials had predicted a strong showing from Tri, and he delivered. The bronze medal is a reward for his hard work and adds to Vietnam's campaign at the Games. This year, Vietnamese cue sports have also made news, as reported earlier by UAE Cue Sports. Tri's podium finish shows Vietnam's growing strength in different sports. Vietnamese outlets like VTV and Lao Dong said Tri "fulfilled the task" in the final, echoing the official view at home.
Tri's calm under pressure stood out. While the gold and silver winners battled each other, Tri focused on his own lifts and kept a safe lead over his closest rivals. That focus set him apart and put Vietnam on the podium. For Vietnam's weightlifting program, this result proves their athletes can stand with Asia's best and deliver when it matters.
Independent Vietnamese sources note that Tri's bronze ended an eight-year medal drought for Vietnam in Asian Games weightlifting, marking a significant improvement for the national team and boosting morale for the sport's future in the country.
