9 special athletes of Vietnamese sports at SEA Games 31: There are 6 shooters

Pham Van Mach (bodybuilding)

19 years ago, Pham Van Mach was a name in the bodybuilding village of the country. Later, when he became a world champion, Mach’s reputation became more and more resounding, not only at the regional level but around the world. But being able to attend and win the 60kg gold medal at the 22nd SEA Games in the first time Vietnam was the host of the Games (Mach was 27 years old at the time) was the most special event in his athlete’s life. At the age of 46, when he is already the “big brother” of the national team, the veteran athlete is determined to win the 31st SEA Games gold medal once more!

Nguyen Tien Minh (badminton)

At the 22nd SEA Games, Tien Minh was only 20 years old then, not a seasoned and experienced player like now. Therefore, when facing Boonsak Poonsana – Thailand’s No. 1 player at that time, despite his best efforts, Minh still hung up the racket 0-2 quite quickly in the 1/8 round. The determination to rise up helped Tien Minh then make constant progress, joining the top tennis players in the region, even setting the record as the oldest athlete at the Tokyo Olympics. After winning 4 SEA Games bronze medals in his career, at the age of 39, our “old man” is expected to win another SEA Games medal before ceding the playing field to the youth.

Hoang Thi Bao Tram (chess)

This year 35 years old (born 1987), Hoang Thi Bao Tram is the “big sister” of the Vietnamese chess team participating in this 31st SEA Games. But 19 years ago, Tram was the youngest player of the team when the SEA Games took place at home. Although only 16 years old, but Tram played very bravely, overcoming a series of strong opponents to win an impressive individual gold medal.

6 snipers of the shooting team

It is no exaggeration to say that this is the most special team of the Vietnam Sports Delegation when there are 6 gunners who have participated in the 22nd SEA Games (all won gold medals).

In the pistol squad, Tran Quoc Cuong (born 1974) is a teammate who has worked closely with him for many years, the same age as “Olympic hero” Hoang Xuan Vinh (who recently switched to training). At the age of 48, Cuong is among the most veteran athletes not only of the shooting team but also of the Vietnamese sports team attending the 31st SEA Games. At the 22nd SEA Games in 2003, the Vietnamese shooting team set a record of winning 25 shots. Gold medal, contributed the most to the achievement table of the Vietnam Sports Delegation at that time (ranked first in the whole team). In which, Tran Quoc Cuong side by side with teammate Hoang Xuan Vinh and seniors Nguyen Manh Tuong and Pham Cao Son competed in air pistol content. At the age of 29, Cuong contributed to 2 gold medals in the team air pistol and the 50m freestyle pistol. According to coach Nguyen Thi Nhung, this could be Cuong’s last SEA Games before he turns to coaching.

If Quoc Cuong is the “oldest brother” of male shooters, Pham Thi Ha is the eldest of female shooters. Although not as famous as other colleagues, Ha is a veteran 7x pistol athlete who attended many SEA Games and made many contributions to the country’s shooting. At the 22nd SEA Games, this gunner from Hai Duong won the individual gold medal in the 25m sport pistol event and the women’s team gold medal.

In the rifle content, two beautiful gunmen Dang Hong Ha and Nguyen Thi Le Quyen have long been famous. At the SEA Games that year, Ha and Quyen and their teammates Cu Thanh Tu brought home the gold medal of the mixed mobile rifle women’s team. Dang Hong Ha is known for her dynamism and multi-talented. While Le Quyen is the “wife” of football coach Truong Viet Hoang (Viettel).

The content of shooting flying saucers also has an equally beautiful gunner, Hoang Thi Tuat. 19 years ago, she was only 21 years old, but she was already the main shooter, contributing to the gold medal in the women’s team Trap content. There is also the veteran male shooter Le Nghia, who won the individual gold medal at the 22nd SEA Games at the age of 20. Until now, Nghia is still one of the golden hopes of the Vietnamese shooting team at the SEA Games arena.