Athlete Le Van Cong: "Proud to contribute to the development of the country"

(Dan Tri) - As Vietnam's leading disabled athlete, Le Van Cong has won most of the most prestigious titles in every arena. However, his desire to conquer has not stopped.

Weightlifter Le Van Cong was born in 1984 in Ha Tinh , currently living in Ho Chi Minh City. He has two children, a boy and a girl. Le Van Cong's eldest son was born in 2010, the same year Le Van Cong broke his right shoulder. His youngest daughter was born in 2016, the year he won the 2016 Paralympic gold medal.

Le Van Cong said he is willing to support his children if they want to pursue elite sports . If they do not want to, Le Van Cong will not force them, he will support all decisions related to their careers.

Le Van Cong won gold medals at the Southeast Asian Para Games in 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2022 and 2023. When entering the Asian arena, this disabled athlete won gold medals at the Asian Para Games in 2014 and 2022.

In the world arena, Le Van Cong created a miracle by winning the gold medal at the Rio Paralympics (Brazil) in 2016, the silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics (Japan) in 2021 and the bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics (France) in 2024. All of these achievements were in the men's under-49kg weight category.

Having achieved great success in the international arena, being a monument of Vietnamese Disabled Sports, but this 41-year-old athlete still does not want to stop. Le Van Cong still desires to win more glory for the country's sports. One afternoon in late October, this athlete talked with Dan Tri reporter, right before he attended the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress.

Notable achievements of disabled weightlifter Le Van Cong (Photo: Vietnam Sports and Physical Training Department).

The early days of "falling in love" with NKT sports

Now, the name Le Van Cong has become familiar to Vietnamese sports fans. But few people know what fate brought him to the sports path?

– It was around 2005. At that time, I was a member of the Vocational Guidance Club for the Disabled in Tan Binh District (old), Ho Chi Minh City. That year, I was only 21 years old, studying at this club.

By chance, I received an invitation to join the Tan Binh Culture and Sports Center. Perhaps they recognized that I had a talent for sports – something that I had never noticed in myself before. After that, I started training at the center for about two months, and was then selected to participate in the national weightlifting championship.

Surprisingly, the first time I participated in a national competition, I won a Silver Medal. That achievement ignited my passion and motivated me to pursue Para-weightlifting until now. In 2006, I had my first National Sports Festival in my career.

From those initial steps to the resounding success of Le Van Cong today, what helps him maintain his form and win in domestic and international arenas?

– I don’t think there is a “secret”. I simply try to practice every day, always telling myself to overcome myself. My task is to try; whether I succeed or not depends on many other factors.

To reach the destination of success, winning or losing in sports depends on the peak of performance, on the strength or weakness of the opponent at the time of competition. I have never dared to affirm with certainty that I will win.

But I know one thing for sure: if I don't try, I will definitely fail. So I never allow myself to stop trying. Whatever I can do, I will do my best - before and during every competition.

Le Van Cong is a symbol of success for Vietnamese disabled sports (Photo: Vietnam Sports Administration).

Proud to contribute to the development of the country

In addition to those issues, many people may wonder what the nutritional and training regimen for a top disabled athlete like you would be like, to help you maintain high performance and good physical condition like you have?

- Actually, on normal days, my diet is no different from other normal people. I eat no differently than everyone else, when I'm not preparing for tournaments, not during tournaments.

Especially during the days preparing for tournaments or during competition time, my nutritional regimen is not too fussy, as long as the meals have 4 important dishes including beef, chicken, fish and vegetables, maybe milk and fruit.

Le Van Cong still desires to win the Paralympic gold medal again (Photo: Trung Kien).

As for my training regime, I don’t go through as intense a workout as many people imagine. On normal days, I train about 2 hours a day. In the days before a competition, I reduce my training time to 1 hour a day.

I mainly train in cycles, training regularly from day to day, to accumulate over time, then calculate the peak of performance, rather than training in a "massive" way.

After many successes in various large and small competitions, winning gold, silver and bronze medals in 3 Paralympics (Olympics for people with disabilities), is there any achievement that weightlifter Le Van Cong longs for, but has not yet achieved?

- I have been fortunate to have had most of the best results at different levels. However, despite having had almost all the remarkable achievements, my desire to conquer major titles is still intact.

Right now, I still want to win another medal at the next Paralympics, in 2028. If it is gold, it will be even more wonderful for me.

For now, I am working hard to prepare for the Para Games taking place later this year in Thailand. My goal is still to win gold in the men's 49 kg weightlifting event.

You will attend the National Emulation Congress this year, how do you feel and what are you preparing for this congress?

- Every time I attend the National Patriotic Emulation Congress, I am always very proud and have an indescribable feeling. I have attended this congress before, but I always long to attend the next congresses.

The Patriotic Emulation Congress is a gathering place for the country’s elite, people who are very good in many different fields. Therefore, the fact that an athlete like me can participate in the congress is an affirmation of the rise of Vietnamese sports.

In addition, attending the National Patriotic Emulation Congress makes me feel that I am contributing a small part to the overall development of the country. That is what I have always aspired to do, aspired to strive for throughout my career.

Strong rear

Do you have any advice for younger athletes, the next generation of Vietnamese Sports?

- I dare not call it advice, I just hope that young athletes persevere in training and competing, strictly following the training plan set by their coaches. In addition, the training and rest regime of athletes must be extremely reasonable and scientific.

Without good rest, you cannot recover well. Therefore, athletes must avoid temptations and focus on resting when they have the chance. By training well, resting well and recovering well, athletes will have the foundation to develop well.

For a normal athlete, maintaining peak performance is difficult, for disabled athletes, this is perhaps even more difficult, because they face more disadvantages. Have you ever, in your career, faced a big difficulty that made you want to stop?

- Difficulties are perhaps unavoidable in sports training and competition. In 2010, I faced a big turning point, I broke my right shoulder. This injury prevented me from participating in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou (China).

Le Van Cong with his wife and two children (Photo: Quy Luong).

There was a time when I wanted to give up weightlifting. But I told myself that I had to get through it and get back on the court. It took me 3 years to get back to competing normally.

But that was not the only injury in my career. In 2018, I broke my left shoulder again, this time I was more determined, but it took me another 3 years to get back to my best form. Right after my return, I won silver at the 2021 Paralympics in Tokyo, which was a big encouragement for me.

To get through those difficult times, you must have had a very strong support system, a solid foundation from your family?

- Speaking of which, I have to thank my partner. Honestly, during the time I was injured, I kept it a secret from my parents because I was afraid they would worry and travel all the way from my hometown to Ho Chi Minh City for me.

That was also the time when my wife worked harder than usual, taking care of the children, taking care of me, and managing the household. Without great determination, she could not have done all of those things.

Whatever success I have had over the years, I owe to my partner. My wife and children have always been by my side through thick and thin. They have always silently supported me to the best of their ability.

Thanks for the conversation!

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/luc-si-le-van-cong-tu-hao-duoc-dong-gop-cho-su-phat-trien-cua-dat-nuoc-20251025022139013.htm