Athlete My Tam - the "steel rose" of Vietnamese karate

The chance to come to karate

Born in the countryside of Thach Lac commune, Ha Tinh province, Hoang Thi My Tam (born 2003) is the third child in a family of four siblings. Her parents were farmers, and their finances were not abundant, so her childhood was spent following her mother to the fields to harvest rice. Since childhood, Tam was hyperactive, liked to run and jump, and participated in many sports activities at school.

Athlete My Tam - — Athlete My Tam's lovely, feminine face in real life is in contrast to her decisiveness and bravery on the court.

In 2015, while studying in grade 7 at Thang Tuong Secondary School, Tam's outstanding height and good physical strength helped him catch the eye of the coaches who were selecting Ha Tinh's sports talents. This became a big turning point, opening the path for Tam's future professional career.

The family was initially quite surprised because few people in the countryside knew about karate. However, Tam's parents supported and encouraged their daughter. Thanks to that, Tam persevered in practicing and gradually got used to the harsh training environment. At the end of 2015, when she was only 12 years old, My Tam was called up to the national youth team in Ho Chi Minh City. For the first time away from home, there were times when she missed her family and wanted to give up, but Tam considered this an opportunity to prove herself, so she was determined to stay and overcome the difficulties.

Athlete My Tam - the — Image of athlete My Tam competing at the 2025 Asian Karate Championship (photo: WKF)

Through countless hardships and pains during the rigorous training process, under the guidance of the coaches , My Tam has become the “steel rose” of Vietnamese karate. It was her older sister’s example that brought her younger sister Hoang Thi My Phuong (born 2006) to karate and she is currently an athlete of this sport at the Ha Tinh Province Sports Training and Competition Center.

Journey of affirmation in the international arena

Growing up in the Ha Tinh youth team under the guidance of coach Vo Manh Tuan, then national team coach Duong Hoang Long, My Tam progressed rapidly. In 2019, she won a gold medal at the Asian Youth Championship. This was a profound memory for her, as it was the first continental gold medal in her career. This achievement became the motivation for the female boxer to continue setting higher goals.

To date, My Tam has won many domestic and international titles, including two U21 Asian gold medals. At the 2025 Asian Karate Championship held in Uzbekistan, she continued to be crowned, affirming the position of Vietnamese karate.

At domestic tournaments, Tam’s parents are always present in the stands to cheer for their daughter. That support adds spiritual strength to the young girl to steadfastly pursue the path of martial arts, which is often harsh. She said that she always sets herself difficult goals, seemingly too much to motivate herself to strive to reach them.

“The path I have chosen is full of difficulties and pain, but it is worth it. Each medal is a source of pride not only for me but also for my family, my hometown and my country,” My Tam shared.

Currently, My Tam is focusing on the national team to prepare for the 33rd SEA Games taking place at the end of 2025. Her goal is to defend the championship title and contribute to the overall achievements of the Vietnamese sports delegation. The coach and teammates have high expectations for the 22-year-old female boxer. Tam admits that this brings pressure, but also motivates her to strive.

Talking to Van Hoa Newspaper, Ms. Phan Thi Thu Huong - Director of Ha Tinh Province Sports Training and Competition Center said that athlete Hoang Thi My Tam is one of the advanced models of the patriotic emulation movement in the field of high-performance sports in the period 2020 - 2025. Not only winning gold medals at many Asian championships, My Tam also affirmed her position in the regional arena, contributing to bringing Ha Tinh sports to a new level and spreading the image of a locality rich in traditions of studiousness and determination.

“My Tam not only has the qualities and strong will but is also an example of the spirit of overcoming difficulties. Her achievements are proof of the right investment of the province’s sports industry, at the same time inspiring many young athletes, contributing to fostering pride in the homeland and country,” Ms. Huong emphasized.

During her career, athlete Hoang Thi My Tam has won many impressive achievements: Asian Youth Gold Medal in 2019; 3 Gold Medals at the 2021 Asian Karate Championship in Kazakhstan; 1 Gold Medal, 1 Bronze Medal at the 31st SEA Games; 1 Gold Medal, 2 Silver Medals at the 2022 Asian Championship in Uzbekistan; 2 Gold Medals at the 32nd SEA Games; 2 Gold Medals at the 2024 Asian Championship in China; 2 Gold Medals at the 2025 Asian Championship in Uzbekistan and 2 Gold Medals at the 2025 Southeast Asian Championship in Brunei. She has also won the national championship many times, affirming her position as a pillar of Vietnamese karate in regional and continental arenas. In addition to her competition achievements, My Tam also received many forms of awards: Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), Second-class Labor Medal (2025), Advanced model of the patriotic emulation movement in the field of high-performance sports in the period 2020 - 2025.

( Department of Organization and Personnel, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/vdv-my-tam-bong-hong-thep-cua-karate-viet-nam-168925.html