Online voting for the 2026 Dedication Sports Awards: Trinh Thu Vinh and Nguyen Dinh Bac create a 'craze'

April 5, 2026, 23:59. The moment when the online voting ballots for the two categories, Sports Person of the Year and Young Sports Person of the Year, of the 2026 Dedication Awards officially closed. No final winner has been determined yet, as the result still depends on 50% of the score from the Professional Council.

But one thing is certain: This year's race, led by the two young faces Trinh Thu Vinh (shooting) and Nguyen Dinh Bac (football), has truly become a "craze" for the public, reflecting a very high rising youthful aspiration in the hearts of fans.

We are living in a special season of the Dedication Awards. Looking at the list of leaders in the voting, one can see an interesting common point: They are not merely outstanding athletes, but also symbols of overcoming adversity and the courage of youth.

Trinh Thu Vinh, after the storms and pressures of the international arena, continues to dedicate tirelessly. In early February 2026, she and her teammates won a silver medal at the Asian Pistol and Rifle Championships in India, the first international medal of Vietnamese shooting this year.

Although she hasn't yet won an individual gold medal, the perseverance and never-give-up spirit of this girl from Thanh province is always an inspiration. At 26, she is already a pillar, but what the public admires about her is also her meticulousness, discipline, and aspiration to reach continental heights. Perhaps that's why she continuously leads prestigious polls, not only in Dedication but also in the Vietnamese Sports Glory 2026 program commemorating 80 years of Vietnamese Sports.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Dinh Bac's story is even more dramatic. He is considered one of the most promising young talents of the new generation of Vietnamese football. In 2025 and 2026, he consecutively harvested impressive personal titles: Top scorer of the U23 Southeast Asia, Young Player of the Year, Vietnamese Silver Ball, then Top scorer and Most Impressive Player of the 2026 U23 Asian Cup with 4 goals. However, on the domestic stage, he experienced a long drought.

Both Trinh Thu Vinh and Nguyen Dinh Bac are in their youthful age, full of aspiration and also full of challenges. Photo: Hoang Linh

And then, a very beautiful detail occurred, like a happy ending for a long story full of pressure. Right in the final days of the Dedication voting round (from March 20 to April 5), Nguyen Dinh Bac shone brilliantly. In the match between CAHN Club and Da Nang in round 17 of the LPBank V-League 2025/26, he scored a double, officially ending his 500-day streak without scoring in the domestic league.

That moment carried a special meaning. It showed the image of a young talent, representing the new generation of athletes, who does not succumb to pressure, knows to rise up at the right moment to affirm himself. Perhaps that timely "self-rescue" made him receive strong empathy and support from a vast audience. Because they see in Dinh Bac the image of effort, of daring to stand up after long days of doubt. And that is more meaningful than any personal title.

The most important thing this year's voting brings, perhaps, is not who will ultimately win, but the public's fervor for the young faces. Both Trinh Thu Vinh and Nguyen Dinh Bac are in their youthful age, full of aspiration and also full of challenges. Their being trusted by the public, leading the polls, shows a hopeful signal: fans are ready to give opportunities and trust to the new generation.

The Dedication Sports Awards, with its balanced scoring structure between the Professional Council and the audience (50% - 50%), is the perfect bridge to express that. It is not only a reward for medals, but also society's recognition for people who have been and are dedicating themselves fully.

Perhaps after April 15, when the official award ceremony takes place at the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Culture Palace, the highest position will call another name, because the vote of the Professional Council remains. But regardless of the outcome, Trinh Thu Vinh and Nguyen Dinh Bac have won in a very unique way: It is the victory of affection, of trust from millions of fans' hearts. And that is the most precious reward, the greatest motivation for today's youth to continue writing stories of dedication for the nation's sports.