Le Cong Tai - the inspiration for sepak takraw in Nghe An.

A rare achievement.

We met Le Cong Tai at the Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center. His sharp shots, skillful hooks, and especially his thunderous sweeping kicks impressed not only us but also his younger teammates.

Le Cong Tai was born in 1993 in Hung Dung commune, Vinh City, into a humble working-class family. From a young age, Tai showed a special passion for sepak takraw. After school, he and his friends would enthusiastically play sepak takraw, and his talent was quickly recognized by everyone.

In 2005, Le Cong Tai was selected to participate in the Phu Dong Sports Festival at the provincial level. That same year, the sepak takraw (foot volleyball) department of the Nghe An Sports Training Center was officially established, and coach Ton Quy Hoa, with his keen eye, discovered this "rough gem." With the support of his family, in October 2005, Tai officially embarked on his professional sports career.

After less than half a year of training, Le Cong Tai had the opportunity to test his skills in a major competition – the 2006 National Youth Sepak Takraw Championship – but he did not win a medal. It wasn't until 2009, after months of arduous training, that he reaped his first reward: a Silver Medal at the National Youth Sepak Takraw Championship.

2012 marked a major turning point in Le Cong Tai's career when he first competed in the National Sepak Takraw Championship in Dong Thap province. With outstanding performance, he defeated all opponents, winning the prestigious Gold Medal in the men's singles event. This marked the beginning of his 13-year streak of success in Vietnamese sepak takraw. From 2012 to the present, he has won 7 Gold Medals at the National Sepak Takraw Championship and 3 gold medals at the National Sports Games in 2014, 2018, and 2022, solidifying his position in Vietnamese sepak takraw.

Stepping onto the international stage in 2013, Le Cong Tai was called up to the national team to participate in the World Sepak Takraw Championship. He advanced straight to the final after defeating five opponents. However, against Du Thien – a top-class athlete from China – despite his best efforts, Tai had to accept defeat and win the Silver Medal. Nevertheless, this was a historic achievement, elevating his name to a new level and becoming a source of pride for Nghe An sports.

Passion and perseverance

Le Cong Tai shared that the tournament he remembers most is the 2013 National Sepak Takraw Championship held in Da Nang city. As the defending champion in the men's singles event, Le Cong Tai entered a dramatic final match against Nguyen Van Dat from Dong Thap province – the region with the strongest sepak takraw movement at the time. After two sets ending in a draw, in the decisive third set (15 points), Tai unexpectedly fell behind his opponent with a score of 14-9.

It seemed as though the championship had slipped from the grasp of the young man from Nghe An, but with unwavering determination and an iron will to fight, Tai made a spectacular comeback, scoring 7 consecutive points. The emotional score of 16-14 helped him successfully defend his title, bringing overwhelming joy to the coaching staff, teammates, and all his adoring fans.

Strong will and perseverance have been the foundation that helped Le Cong Tai overcome countless difficulties during his nearly 20 years dedicated to sepak takraw. Despite suffering numerous injuries such as ankle sprains, hamstring strains, and tears, Tai always recovered quickly. Notably, in October 2022, while participating in the National Team Sepak Takraw Championship in Bac Giang province, he suffered a serious injury – a hamstring tear. However, less than a month and a half later, during the 9th National Sports Festival, Le Cong Tai confidently entered the competition and brilliantly won the prestigious Gold Medal in the men's singles event.

"Most people, including many of my teammates, didn't believe I could recover in time to participate."National Sports Congress"In fact, when I entered the tournament, my injury hadn't fully healed. But with burning determination and a burning desire to bring glory to the province's sports, I endured the pain to compete and ultimately achieved what I wanted," Le Cong Tai shared emotionally.

In 2015, at the age of 22, Le Cong Tai got married. His wife is a self-employed businesswoman, and besides competing in sepak takraw, he and his wife also manage a clothing store in Ben Thuy ward, Vinh city. Currently, they have two children, a 10-year-old and a 2-year-old. Le Cong Tai confided that he did not attend the University of Physical Education and Sports because he wanted to dedicate his time to training and competing, while also supporting his family's business.

Having been involved in sepak takraw for nearly two decades, Le Cong Tai is currently the oldest sepak takraw athlete at the Nghe An Sports Training and Competition Center. Tai shared that he hasn't thought about retirement yet, because he still feels he has the ability to compete and contribute high achievements to his hometown's sports. In daily training sessions, he is not only a teammate but also a shining example, inspiring and sharing his extensive competition experience with promising young athletes such as Le Anh Duc, Nguyen Viet Hoang, Le Sy Khanh, etc.

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Later, when I'm no longer competing, I'll switch to the business field. But I'm sure that even if I'm not a coach, I will always be there to support and contribute to the development of sepak takraw in my province, assisting young athletes to the best of my ability.

Sepak Takraw player Le Cong Tai