Vietnam is pinning its hope of securing a medal at the 2016 SummerOlympics on 21-year-old weightlifter Thach Kim Tuan, who has overcomesignificant hardships to become a top global competitor.
Hailing from an underdeveloped area in the central province of BinhThuan, his family moved to southern Ho Chi Minh City to eke out a livingwhen Tuan was about three years old.
After hismother was killed in a traffic accident shortly after the move, hiseldest sister Thach Thi Giang Huong at 16 years old had tosingle-handedly raise her siblings while Tuan’s father remained in theirhometown. To assist his sister, Tuan dropped out of school after thesixth grade.
Things changed when, in 2006, aneighbour asked Tuan to join him in playing sports, gradually developingTuan’s fondness for weightlifting.
Recognising histalent, coach Huynh Huu Chi sent Tuan to HCM City’s weightlifting team.After three years under the coach’s training, Tuan became a member ofthe national team and continually performed well at domestic and foreigntournaments.
His most memorable win was his gold medal at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore when he was just 16 years old.
In 2014, Tuan set two world records at the Junior World Championshipsin Russia’s Kazan and was honoured as the best athlete of thetournament. He also secured a silver medal at the Asian Games in theRepublic of Korea along with one gold and two silver medals at the WorldWeightlifting Championships the same year.
Theweightlifter is under intensive training as he is hoped to be the firstVietnamese gold medallist at the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Brazil.
This year, he will focus on the Southeast AsianChampionships scheduled to take place in Thailand in June, the AsianWeightlifting Championships in Nepal one month later, and the 2015 WorldWeightlifting Championships in the US in November.
Among them, the world tournament, which is also part of the 2016 SummerOlympics qualifying rounds, will be an opportunity for Tuan to secure aplace at the Games’ 56-kilogramme competition category.
Coach Chi said the “Olympic dream” will not come easily, as Tuan willhave to vie against Om Yun Chol of the Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea and a number of Chinese athletes among the world’s topweightlifters.
Chi said Tuan’s performance and his psychological competition preparedness is improving.
Besides practising weightlifting, he has also spent time studying, Chisaid, adding that Tuan’s accomplishments are thanks to his strong will,patience, and passion.
As a result of suchaccomplishments, Tuan was recently selected as one of the 10 OutstandingYoung Citizens in 2014 by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union CentralCommittee.-VNA
Hailing from an underdeveloped area in the central province of BinhThuan, his family moved to southern Ho Chi Minh City to eke out a livingwhen Tuan was about three years old.
After hismother was killed in a traffic accident shortly after the move, hiseldest sister Thach Thi Giang Huong at 16 years old had tosingle-handedly raise her siblings while Tuan’s father remained in theirhometown. To assist his sister, Tuan dropped out of school after thesixth grade.
Things changed when, in 2006, aneighbour asked Tuan to join him in playing sports, gradually developingTuan’s fondness for weightlifting.
Recognising histalent, coach Huynh Huu Chi sent Tuan to HCM City’s weightlifting team.After three years under the coach’s training, Tuan became a member ofthe national team and continually performed well at domestic and foreigntournaments.
His most memorable win was his gold medal at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore when he was just 16 years old.
In 2014, Tuan set two world records at the Junior World Championshipsin Russia’s Kazan and was honoured as the best athlete of thetournament. He also secured a silver medal at the Asian Games in theRepublic of Korea along with one gold and two silver medals at the WorldWeightlifting Championships the same year.
Theweightlifter is under intensive training as he is hoped to be the firstVietnamese gold medallist at the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Brazil.
This year, he will focus on the Southeast AsianChampionships scheduled to take place in Thailand in June, the AsianWeightlifting Championships in Nepal one month later, and the 2015 WorldWeightlifting Championships in the US in November.
Among them, the world tournament, which is also part of the 2016 SummerOlympics qualifying rounds, will be an opportunity for Tuan to secure aplace at the Games’ 56-kilogramme competition category.
Coach Chi said the “Olympic dream” will not come easily, as Tuan willhave to vie against Om Yun Chol of the Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea and a number of Chinese athletes among the world’s topweightlifters.
Chi said Tuan’s performance and his psychological competition preparedness is improving.
Besides practising weightlifting, he has also spent time studying, Chisaid, adding that Tuan’s accomplishments are thanks to his strong will,patience, and passion.
As a result of suchaccomplishments, Tuan was recently selected as one of the 10 OutstandingYoung Citizens in 2014 by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union CentralCommittee.-VNA
