To make table tennis a strong sport.

(Baonghean) - Former top players of Nghe An's "ping pong" sport, such as Mr. Bui Danh Tieu and Mr. Ha Trung Tin, still feel regretful because their passion for each match is gradually fading away. Younger generations like Ha Minh Tuan and Ong Thi Bich Hanh also follow the profession, but Nghe An's table tennis is no longer a strong sport...

A glorious past

Nghe An is famous for football, but the table tennis movement also flourished for a time, with talents such as Ho Khanh Lam (Lam con), Ngo Sy Hai (Hai Phien), and Le Ngoc Hung (Hung Do). Although they didn't pursue sports careers, they served as role models for the next generation of table tennis players in Nghe An. Following in their footsteps, Nghe An's table tennis team boasts the talented young athlete Ha Minh Tuan, a former member of the national team. After Tuan, a new figure emerged, someone known throughout Vietnamese table tennis: Nguyen Minh Thang (Thang den). Thang den was the last generation of Nghe An table tennis players (the Nghe An table tennis team disbanded in 1996), and he became a "terror" to many of the country's top table tennis players who competed against him. Next are a few other quite famous names such as: Cuong Be (now a lecturer at Ha Tay University), Le Hai Bang (Bang the Young), but now his time is over and he no longer achieves the same level of success as in 2005-2006 because he has "retired to the mountains" (currently a statistics officer in Ky Son district).

Teacher Bui Danh Tieu (on the left) and his student Ha Minh Tuan during a football practice session at the Provincial Cultural and Information Center.

Accompanying the former "veterans" of Nghe An's table tennis scene, we met Ha Minh Tuan, son of Mr. Ha Trung Tin, a national team player who won a gold medal at the Southeast Asian Youth Championships (2002 – team) and many other national gold medals. His passion for table tennis was passed down from his father, Ha Trung Tin. In 1993, both Tuan and Tung were selected for the provincial table tennis team. About a year later, coach Bui Danh Tieu selected four players – the then-famous "ping pong quartet" of Nghe An – Tuan, Tung, Thu, and Minh, to train at Tu Son University of Physical Education and Sports. At that time, Ha Minh Tuan received special attention for his talent and passion for table tennis. The table tennis talent class was then called the Northern Youth Athletes class (Northern National Target Program), and was considered a potential candidate for the national team.

Where are we going?

During our conversation, Tuan was hesitant to talk about his achievements. Mr. Ha Trung Tin interjected: "The whole family loves table tennis as much as they breathe. The 'ping pong' ball is the greatest gift I've ever received." Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lieu, Tuan's mother, said: "Seeing the table tennis racket, my husband and I forget everything else." Mrs. Lieu added: "How can we raise the level of table tennis in Nghe An? It's so frustrating like this; we don't see any recognition!"

Mr. Bui Danh Tieu, a former top table tennis player from Nghe An province, still pursues his passion with four tables at the Provincial Cultural Center (Ho Tung Mau Street - Vinh City) and also expresses his regret: "From 1999 until now, Nghe An has not had an official table tennis team to participate in national-level competitions."

Despite this, the table tennis movement in Nghe An continues to develop steadily. A strong point is the continued growth of the movement, but the saddest thing is that Nghe An lacks a proper table tennis club. Table tennis enthusiasts in Nghe An often organize small tournaments to maintain their passion and keep the movement alive. Mr. Nguyen Hoang Trung, Deputy Director of the Provincial Sports Training Center, said: “Table tennis is only now starting to be reintroduced at the training center, but it will take 5-8 years to select an athlete capable of competing at the highest level.”

According to former top players, for amateur and professional table tennis to develop, a provincial table tennis federation must be established. This federation would then need an operational plan, training programs, and the organization of professional and amateur tournaments, with the support of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This is because, among the sports included in the Prime Minister's approved Strategy for the Development of Physical Education and Sports in Vietnam until 2020, there are 10 key sports of category 1 and 22 key sports of category 2. Table tennis is among the 10 category 1 sports, meaning it receives the highest level of attention, while football is only in the 22 category 2 sports.

Bidding farewell to Mr. Ha Trung Tin and other "ping pong masters" from Nghe An such as Ha Minh Tuan, Dang Van Hai... still leaves a heavy heart. How can table tennis in Nghe An develop further to its potential and become a strong sport?

Cong Manh