The first male athlete to win a gold medal at the National Youth Taekwondo Championship for Nghe An

Possessing an ideal height (1.80m), being agile and active, Tran An Duoc (born 2003) is the hope for Taekwondo in Nghe An. Notably, at the 2020 National Youth Taekwondo Championship, Duoc won the gold medal in the 63 kg weight category, age group 15-17. And Duoc became the first male athlete from Nghe An to win the final match of the tournament.Taekwondo tNational cheap is held annually.

Tran An was born in Quynh Long commune (Quynh Luu), his parents were ordinary workers in coastal areas, and he had a younger brother. Since childhood, Duoc often swam, so his body was healthy, agile, and his height developed quickly, he had a talent for physical education and sports.

Tran An Duoc - the first male athlete from Nghe An to win the final match of the 2020 National Youth Taekwondo Tournament. Photo: Duc Anh

In 2016, at the Phu Dong Sports Festival at the district level, Tran An Duoc competed in the high jump and achieved impressive results. That day, the coaches ofNghe An Sports Training and Competition Centerto attend to select the next generation of athletes for the province's sports. And of course, Duoc caught the eye of the recruiters.

Not long after, Tran An Duoc left his family, brought his luggage to Vinh city to study culture and practice sports, specifically Taekwondo. At first, the 13-year-old boy could not avoid difficulties and confusion when he had to leave his family early, lacking the care and guidance of his parents. Sometimes, homesickness made him sad, especially when he stayed up late at night to study.

But over time, the boy from the fishing village got used to life at the Sports Training and Competition Center, because he always had the support of his friends and the encouragement of his teachers. With hard work and effort in training, his physical strength and technique improved significantly, and he was always trusted by the coaches.

Tran An Duoc always has a sense of discipline in training and has made clear progress. Photo: Duc Anh

This was proven when, after less than a year of training, Tran An Duoc was allowed by the coaches to compete in a number of tournaments. Although he did not stand on the highest podium, he still brought home medals. In 2017, Duoc won a silver medal at the National Youth Taekwondo Tournament in the Northern region, a bronze medal at the Taekwondo Tournament for school-age children, and a silver medal at the National Youth Taekwondo Cup.

In 2018 and 2019, Duoc continued to be sent to participate in youth competitions and won a bronze medal. “Those experiences helped me clearly recognize my strengths to promote and my weaknesses to overcome. At the same time, I gained more experience in competition, especially against strong opponents and became more persistent and determined in training” - Tran An Duoc shared.

That perseverance and determination were affirmed at the 2020 National Youth Taekwondo Championship with 4 consecutive wins, Duoc stepped onto the highest podium. He recalled: “When I first entered the tournament, I was a bit nervous but then became more confident with each match. In the final match against the opponent from Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union, where the movement and achievements are very strong, I was still confident and determined to win.”

Tran An Duoc's forte is kicking the opponent. Photo: Duc Anh

In the final match, in the fourth round, both sides were testing their opponents to find suitable tactics, so they were quite evenly matched. In the second round, the opponents began to show their physical strength and scored quite a few points. And in the final round, Tran An Duoc began to show his strengths with fast and strong cross kicks.

Although the opponent always tries to get ahead, find a way to limit the strength, take advantage of scoring points and win the final victory, owning the title.Gold medalfirst in his career.

Sharing about his plans and dreams for the future, Tran An Duoc said he will continue to pursue and strive to go further on the path of martial arts. Like many other athletes, Duoc hopes to be present at major tournaments in the country and region, contributing to the sports achievements of the province and the country.

“Tran An Duoc has real talent, is always determined and makes progress in training as well as in competition, as shown through his achievements over the past three years. This is a promising athlete. If given the opportunity to participate in major tournaments, his achievements will continue to grow.”

Coach Dang Dinh Hung