The multi-talented Turkish boy

(Baonghean) - Having developed a passion for Pencak Silat, winning numerous medals at domestic and international competitions, Truong Van Mao has recently taken up Vovinam. In this new arena, he once again demonstrated his talent by winning a gold medal at the recent National Sports Festival…

Truong Van Mao (born in 1987) in Nghia Xuan commune, Quy Hop district, is known for his many outstanding achievements in sports. Born and raised in a Tho ethnic family with four children, the family's economy depended on farming, making life very difficult. Mao's childhood was spent working in the fields and rice paddies. In 2003, while in 10th grade, with a height of 1.60m, a neighbor who was then a Pencak Silat athlete invited him to try out at the Provincial Sports Training Center.

At that time, Mão agreed with the idea that if she was "lucky," she could escape a life of toiling in the fields, thus easing the burden on her parents. Mão was introduced to Pencak Silat and, surprisingly, a few months later, she won a silver medal at the National Youth Championship. Mão said: "If it weren't for my neighbor, I probably wouldn't have known about sports and achieved the success I have today."

After winning a silver medal at the youth championship, Mão was called up to the national youth team and trained at the National Sports Training Center 3 in Da Nang. Maintaining his form, in the following years, the young man of the Thổ ethnic group gradually conquered and won many medals in Pencak Silat. To date, Mão has won 1 international gold medal, 3 Asian gold medals, 4 Southeast Asian gold medals, and a SEA Games silver medal. Mr. Trương Văn Sơn, Mão's father, shared: "I never expected my son to achieve such success today. When he first got involved in sports, I was happy because it was an opportunity for him to escape his old life and have a more stable life. Now, I just hope he stays healthy and tries his best in competitions."

Truong Van Mao (left) during a training session at the center.

As a promising athlete in Pencak Silat, Mão began training and competing in Vovinam two years ago. Surprisingly, Mão quickly demonstrated his talent and won a gold medal at the recent National Sports Games. “Before, I was only involved in Pencak Silat, but after trying Vovinam once, I was captivated. Since then, I have persistently trained and competed in both disciplines,” Mão revealed.

With intense training, Mão often felt exhausted, so he would call his parents to share his feelings and find motivation to keep going. Over 10 years in the sport meant 10 years away from home. Initially, Mão missed home and his parents so much he wanted to quit training, but now, what matters most to him is completing his training plan and the exercises assigned by his coaches.

Currently, Truong Van Mao is training in both Pencak Silat and Vovinam. Mao's daily training schedule is quite demanding, but he always strives to complete it well. Coach Trinh Thi Mui said: "Mao is a very outstanding athlete with a high spirit of learning and overcoming difficulties. During his years at the center, Mao has never needed anyone to remind him about his training or daily routine. With his extensive experience, Mao is also the athlete who has won the most gold medals in domestic and international competitions. We are very proud of athletes like Truong Van Mao."

As the leader of both sports, Mao is also respected by many friends and younger athletes for his gentle nature and caring attitude. Sharing his future plans, Mao said: “If I have the strength and talent, I will continue to compete and train in both sports. I will try my best to contribute until age and health no longer allow me to.” We admire the young man's willpower and determination. We hope that Mao will achieve even greater success in the future and win more gold medals in domestic and international competitions.

VINH LIEM – HANG THANH