Updated date: 02/02/2025 10:16:15
DTO - Dong Thap province's high-performance sports in 2024 achieved many impressive achievements from national to international arenas. Taking advantage of the opportunity to compete with the Vietnamese team in the Asian and World Championships, Dong Thap shuttlecock athletes with their thirst for victory and courage in competition brought home many prestigious medals.
Shuttlecock player Pham Thi To Nguyen performed excellently at the 11th World Sepak Takraw Championship in 2024 (Photo: Contributor)
The bravery of the world's reigning champions
When mentioning shuttlecock, Dong Thap fans immediately think of the sport that is considered a “gold mine” of high-performance sports in the province. With the vision, investment of the province, enthusiasm and tireless efforts of the Coaching Board and athletes, 2024 deserves to be a “victory” year for Dong Thap shuttlecock when it conquers glory from the continental arena to the world.
The unforgettable impression in the hearts of sports fans in the province is probably the moment when the "golden shuttlecocks": Pham Thi To Nguyen, Ho Phuoc Sang and Nguyen Thi Bich Tram stepped up to the podium to receive the gold medal of the 11th World Shuttlecock Championship, at the end of October 2024. The red flag with a yellow star fluttered, the Vietnamese national anthem resounded majestically at the Olympic Sports Center of Tianjin City (China), making the hearts of many sports fans of the Land of Pink Lotus feel happy and proud. On the journey to the podium of glory, To Nguyen, Phuoc Sang and Bich Tram all demonstrated the mettle of the reigning world champions.
To win the gold medal in the men's singles - the most competitive event of the tournament, athlete Ho Phuoc Sang showed excellent performance to overcome strong opponents from Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia in the group stage, then beat the representative of China in the semi-finals. In the final "rematch" against the Hong Kong athlete, Phuoc Sang showed his top performance with cross-court and sideline serves to score directly, thereby convincingly winning 2-0 (the scores of the sets were 21/5, 21/15). This is the third consecutive time Phuoc Sang has won the world championship (2017, 2019 and 2024) in the men's singles event, affirming the strength of the world's number 1 male player. If Phuoc Sang "dominated" the men's singles event, To Nguyen also showed that she is worthy of the "queen" title in the women's singles event. On the field of the Tianjin Olympic Sports Center, To Nguyen with excellent performance maintained a perfect record from the group stage, to the quarterfinals, semi-finals and overwhelmingly defeated the representative of the host country China 2-0 in the gold medal match (score 21/10, 21/9).
Unlike her two compatriots, the gold medal in the women's 4-team event came to athlete Nguyen Thi Bich Tram in a dramatic scenario. After easily passing the group stage to reach the final, the girls of the Vietnam Sepak Takraw team faced a big challenge from the home athletes. With her courage and experience of over 10 years of international competition, Bich Tram is the "inspiration" that helps her teammates confidently compete with their opponents in each shot. The player born in 1997 also "neutralized" the strong attacks of the Chinese players many times thanks to her excellent defensive skills. It was Bich Tram's important scores that created excitement for the Vietnamese female Sepak Takraw athletes to overcome the pressure from the stands and win dramatically. In addition to the gold medal in the women's 3-team event, Bich Tram also won 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal in the women's 3-team event and women's doubles. The achievements of 4 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 1 bronze medal of Dong Thap shuttlecock players greatly contributed to helping the Vietnamese shuttlecock team win the overall first place with 6 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 1 bronze medal.
Dong Thap Sepak Takraw athletes and coaches in joy of winning many world gold medals (Photo: Contributor)
Imprint in national colors
Before winning the world championship, To Nguyen, Bich Tram and Phuoc Sang had a journey to leave their mark at the 2024 Asian Sepak Takraw Championship hosted by Vietnam in August 2024. After 5 days of exciting competition at the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Sports Stadium, the trio from Dong Thap brought home 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal for the Vietnam Sepak Takraw Team. Not inferior to her seniors, young face Nguyen Thi Tu Anh from Dong Thap also competed excellently at the 2024 Asian Youth Sepak Takraw Championship. Tu Anh maximized her powerful attacking ability and was the "key" to victory for the Vietnam Sepak Takraw Team in the women's doubles and women's team events. Tu Anh personally achieved a "double" championship in her first time competing in the continental arena.
The achievements of the athletes of the Land of the Lotus have greatly contributed to the Vietnamese Sepak Takraw team winning the overall first place in the 2024 Asian Sepak Takraw Championship and Asian Youth Sepak Takraw Championship with 8 gold medals and 6 silver medals (China ranked 2nd with 3 gold medals and 6 silver medals; Hong Kong ranked 3rd with 2 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 2 bronze medals). Young athlete Nguyen Thi Tu Anh shared with joy and pride: “In the new year, I will continue to strive to improve more skills and techniques to compete well. The road ahead is still long and full of challenges, but the achievements at the continental arena with the Vietnamese Youth Sepak Takraw Team are the motivation for me to constantly practice hard and nurture the passion for Sepak Takraw.” Sharing her feelings after the success in the Year of the Dragon, athlete Nguyen Thi Bich Tram said: “This is a very special year for me, because my efforts and struggles in training and competing have been rewarded with achievements that exceeded my expectations. The gold medals I have won are not only personal achievements but also an honor and pride for having contributed to the country and my hometown Dong Thap.”
Overcoming difficulties and challenges, the players of Dong Thap have contributed to the Vietnamese Sepak Takraw Team 7 gold medals and 2 silver medals at international tournaments, contributing to promoting the image of the Land of Pink Lotus to the continent and the world. "The achievements of the players of the province are an inspiration for coaches and athletes of key sports in Dong Thap to actively practice and compete with high determination in 2025, as a premise to prepare well the force to participate in the National Sports Festival in 2026 to achieve the best results" - Mr. Truong Ly Duy Sinh - Principal of the Provincial High School for Gifted, Sports Training and Competition, excitedly said.
Highly appreciating the performance of the players of Dat Sen Hong, Mr. Dao Thai Hoang Phuc - Head Coach of the Vietnam Sepak Takraw Team, emphasized: “The year 2024 ended with a great success for the Vietnam Sepak Takraw Team. In the journey to create that miracle, in addition to the athletes' equal expertise, the representatives of Dong Thap Sepak Takraw still left their mark on the journey to conquer the Asian and world championships of the Vietnam Sepak Takraw Team. I hope that athletes like Phuoc Sang, To Nguyen, Bich Tram or Tu Anh will maintain stable performance, continue to contribute more to the country in the following years...”. |
Phuoc Loc
Source: https://baodongthap.vn/the-thao/da-cau-dong-thap-vuon-xa-the-gioi-128975.aspx
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