Overcoming fate, conquering the racetrack with a will of steel

Mr. Tran Phuc Dat, born in 1984, in Thuong Tan village, Nghia Tru commune, unfortunately contracted polio when he was only 1 and a half years old, causing his legs to atrophy and making him unable to walk. His childhood was associated with long treatment periods, unsuccessful surgeries and a wheelchair becoming an involuntary companion. However, it was in this adversity that an extraordinary will was forged and tempered.

Tran Phuc Dat and his parents, his steadfast support, support him on both the race track and in life.

Overcoming adversity

Despite his family's difficult circumstances, Dat's parents still tried their best to let him study. He completed high school and passed the entrance exam to a university in Hanoi in 2003. However, due to the difficulty of traveling and economic conditions, he had to put aside his dream of becoming a student. Not giving up on fate, in 2004, after learning about it through the press, he started to take up wheelchair racing as a new path for his life.

With the desire to prove himself, Dat left his hometown to Hanoi with his mother, renting a house in Gia Lam. Every day, the mother and son woke up at 4am. He rolled his bike 8km to Khuc Hao Sports Center (now Hanoi Disabled Sports Club) to practice, while his mother went to the market to sell vegetables to earn extra income. The first days were not easy, but after only 3 months of practice, he was called to the Hanoi Disabled Sports Team and won 1 Silver Medal and 2 Bronze Medals at the National Disabled Sports Tournament in 2004. Those first medals were the motivation for him to persevere in pursuing a professional sports career.

Mr. Dat with his wheelchair and medal collection.

Responsibility to the community

During 21 years of racing and using a wheelchair, Dat has not only surpassed himself, but also continuously brought home impressive achievements: 25 Gold Medals, 25 Silver Medals, 5 Bronze Medals at national championships. He was once a representative of Vietnam to participate in international arenas such as: Asian Games 2006 (Malaysia), Paragames 4 (Thailand 2008), World Marathon 2019 in Korea... Not stopping at wheelchair racing, since 2019, Dat has also trained and competed in weightlifting for the disabled, continuing to affirm his remarkable courage and mental strength. Currently, every day, he still perseveres to travel more than 30km from Hung Yen to Hanoi to practice regardless of rain or shine.

Not only an athlete, Tran Phuc Dat is also a responsible citizen to the community. He once auctioned his precious Gold Medal to contribute 200 million VND to the Sesame Seed Fund during the Covid-19 pandemic, supporting the purchase of ventilators to save lives. Previously, he also successfully auctioned a ball and a shirt signed by football legend Roberto Carlos, raising 50 million VND to help people in the Central region overcome the storm and flood in 2020.

Disabled athlete Tran Phuc Dat.

Mr. Dat shared: The training process for wheelchair racing is very harsh and economic life is difficult, there was a time when I wanted to turn to another direction. However, my passion for sports and the desire to conquer each race brought me back, sticking with wheelchair racing as a way of life. And I will continue to try, make more efforts with the dream of one day bringing glory to wheelchair racing in the international arena.

Behind all his successes is always the image of his hard-working mother, who has been with him through the most difficult days, a strong spiritual support for him to constantly move forward. His family is a steadfast support, supporting him on both the race track and life path. Mrs. Le Thi Thoa, Dat's mother, said: I don't need much, I just want my son to live happily and be useful. I am very proud of him, even though he cannot walk on his own two feet, he has the will to rise up and has achieved achievements that not every normal person can do.

Life may have taken away his legs, but it could not take away his strong desire to live, his steadfast belief and his iron will. Tran Phuc Dat is a living testament to the truth: "There is no limit for those who dare to dream and never stop trying." He is not only the pride of his hometown Hung Yen, but also a strong inspiration for many people to overcome adversity and rise up to live a full and meaningful life.

Huong Giang

Source: https://baohungyen.vn/vuot-len-so-phan-chinh-phuc-duong-dua-bang-y-chi-thep-3183040.html