The tearful story of the golden girl of Vietnam Para Games
She cried. The tears of a woman who had suffered too much misfortune and of a disabled athlete who had challenged her opponents in 9 Asian Para Games to become the “king”. Now, sitting in front of me, Nguyen Thi Cao Nguyen could not hold back her tears when she had to give up her sports career and follow her sister just because of… “a racing car”.
She cried. The tears of a woman who had suffered too much misfortune and of a disabled athlete who had challenged opponents in 9 Asian Games.
Extraordinary efforts of golden girl Nguyen Thi Cao Nguyen
“The shoots do not grow straight”
She stepped out from the lens of a photographer and people started to notice her from then on. Her swaying shadow was reflected in the shape of a wooden crutch on the small road leading to Ho Thi Ki flower market (District 10, Ho Chi Minh City). I followed that swaying shadow, suddenly feeling sorry for a rare talent in the sports community for the disabled in Vietnam.
Unlike other children, at the age of 4, just one night after a malignant fever, Cao Nguyen was permanently unable to walk. Her legs were atrophied and curled up together. At that age, she could not realize the misfortune that was weighing on her body, but as she grew older and went to school, Cao Nguyen gradually felt the difficulty and hardship in walking. She began to get used to the wooden crutch and the unsteady steps in the wind on the way to school. The family moved to many places, until she was 10 years old, she was able to settle down to study at a school in the city. Cao Nguyen studied with normal students, but she was at a disadvantage when she had to watch her friends play and jump around every day. Cao Nguyen sat quietly on the schoolyard bench, her eyes looking far away, hopeless about the future. After finishing 10th grade, she had to stop studying due to health reasons. Cao Nguyen started to work, she did all kinds of jobs to contribute to maintaining the family's "rice pot". In the narrow space of a room less than 20 square meters wide, Cao Nguyen sat diligently sewing and embroidering day after day, month after month, as if to forget the bustling, busy world outside. She thought she was content with the fate that was destined for a disabled girl, but in 2001, a coincidence brought the seamstress into the unimaginable sports world.
The Golden Girl and Her Feelings in a Wheelchair
The two words “sports” must be too unfamiliar to Cao Nguyen because up until now, she has only stayed at home doing housework. Cao Nguyen was recruited into the Sports Club for the Disabled in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City. At first, she practiced with the thought of having fun and being healthy because she was disabled, so how could she compete. The more she practiced, the more interesting she found it because she felt her body getting healthier, her spirit was clear and excited.
For the first time, Cao Nguyen was able to go out into a new world. She was able to meet, talk to and sympathize with people in the same situation. The wheelchair became more familiar, closer and more practical in her life. Here, her joy was multiplied when she had a boyfriend to share her joys and sorrows while practicing. The coaches soon discovered Cao Nguyen's hidden potential, she received more attention and care. In the first year, Cao Nguyen took a risk to register for the National Sports Competition for the Disabled and she excellently won a silver medal. The achievement that even Nguyen herself did not expect gave her a confident spirit and enthusiasm for sports. Life was still full of worries and difficulties, and at the same time, Nguyen had to cut down on her time for practice. Every day, she woke up early to work to shorten the time to attend training every afternoon. On the wheelchair, the wheels constantly turning show the unfortunate girl's iron determination. The difficulty in exercising for the disabled is that Nguyen has to focus her strength on her two arms because her two legs are completely paralyzed.
The days of wearing the colors of the athlete's flag were the happiest days in Cao Nguyen's life. Happiness was not only because of the gold medals but also because of the love she found right on the training ground. The result of that love was family happiness and a chubby, healthy baby boy. That was a great source of spiritual encouragement for her to win high prizes in competitions. Consecutive competitions
In 9 consecutive Olympics, Cao Nguyen has never tasted defeat, but her sports career is not as golden as the medals she won. She sadly said goodbye to the track, but according to her, it was only because of the wheelchair. Cao Nguyen said that the most important thing in wheelchair racing is physical strength, then comes the "vehicle". Her physical strength is still there, but the vehicle has problems. Every time she goes to practice, although she uses all her strength, the vehicle is still sluggish. "Only I know that, the vehicle plays a decisive role, no matter what level of physical strength I have, I am helpless", Cao Nguyen pondered. When I asked, so you decided to give up the track? Cao Nguyen burst into tears, her shoulders shaking to try to hold back her sobs. She said that she still loves the track passionately, but luck did not smile on her like her fate. Her personal happiness did not last. In 2007, they divorced, leaving her alone on a lonely path filled with tears. After months of selfless training for the love of sports, Cao Nguyen now returns to her job as a disabled worker.
Win with "Vietnamese heart"
Practicing continuously every evening of the week, Cao Nguyen was exhausted and exhausted, but thinking about the glory ahead, she felt better. She confided: “My two hands were bleeding and scratched, but when I got home, I felt the pain. While practicing, I often thought about victory and glory, so all the hardships and difficulties were nothing to me.” In the second Para Games, Cao Nguyen entered the competition career, representing Vietnam to attend the Para Games in Southeast Asia. Her opponents were athletes who had become famous in their countries, even in previous Para Games. Cao Nguyen felt a bit worried but was encouraged by the coaches to be confident in her own abilities and fight with a Vietnamese heart.
Tears of happiness The most memorable memory for her was in 2008, when the Organizing Committee changed the competition content at the last minute. This surprised the athletes because it was not in their training program. The distance from 5000m was shortened to 400m, which was a real surprise for Cao Nguyen and the coaching staff. The confusion only lasted for a split second, Cao Nguyen had to be ready to race. She said: “I was ready but inside I was worried and nervous, wondering if I could do it. In the first 200m, I retreated to the end to save my energy. The coaching staff was very worried, thinking that I probably had no chance of winning a medal. In the last 200m, I used all my strength, put it into my hands and pushed the wheel forward as fast as I could. Passing each athlete, I caught up with the leader and in just a moment, I stretched myself and drove to the finish line first. The coach ran down to the field, hugged me and shouted loudly. Truly, those moments were the happiest, I could only cry.” |
According to Nguoiduatin - NT
