Female athlete Ho Thi Hao with a passion for wrestling.

Sports cradles

The first place that nurtured Ho Thi Hao's (born in 2004) spirit of sportsmanship was her family and hometown.

With parents who work in agriculture, Hào and his brothers were familiar with farm work from a young age, such as waking up early, plowing, tending buffaloes, chopping firewood, and carrying rice. Through these labors and daily routines, Hào and his brothers developed good physical fitness and stamina. Even during their Tet holiday in their hometown, Hào maintained his training schedule as at the center and took the opportunity to help his mother plant rice in the fields.

In many communes of Do Luong district, people enthusiastically participate in sports competitions during festivals at the beginning of the year. (Photo: Huy Thu)

In addition, the people of Thuong Son commune, Do Luong district - Hao's hometown - highly value culture and sports. Every Tet holiday, people in the hamlet and commune eagerly participate in lively football matches, soccer games, wrestling, stick fighting, and more. This spirit of sports is the foundation for the commune having as many as 7 sports teams.professional athleteOf those, three were from Hamlet 4 of Hao alone.

Hao recounted, “My parents and older brother are very good at sports. Every year, all members of the family participate in sports exchanges at the beginning of the year. It not only helps improve health but also represents a traditional cultural aspect of the people here.” It was this martial culture and sporting spirit that motivated Hao to decide to become a professional wrestler.

Despite being a girl, Ho Thi Hao set her sights early on on the path to becoming a professional wrestler. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

In 2018, during a recruitment drive in Do Luong, coaches from the Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center recognized the athletic potential of a tall, bright-looking student named Hao. After two tests, Hao was informed that she met the requirements to study wrestling at the center. Upon receiving this news, Hao's family was overwhelmed with unexpected joy. Hao eagerly packed her bags and followed her parents to Vinh to enroll in her new school – the next step in nurturing her passion for sports.

Efforts on the professional journey

At home, Hào was so responsible and mature, but upon arriving in Vinh, as soon as the bus carrying his parents back to their hometown started moving, Hào's tears flowed uncontrollably. He still vividly remembers the feeling of sadness and loneliness he experienced then. At 14, Hào entered his room at the Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center's dormitory feeling like the youngest sibling.

Ho Thi Hao has always been aware of the importance of training and discipline in life. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Having become accustomed to a disciplined lifestyle at home, Hao easily adapted to the center's schedule. Naturally neat, tidy, diligent, and polite, the youngest quickly integrated with the other girls in the room and was loved by everyone in the class. “In the beginning, the training regimen and the instructors' demands weren't too high, so I didn't find it too difficult. However, when I entered the official program, I truly understood the hardships and struggles that professional athletes go through, and I greatly admired my seniors,” Hao confided.

One of Hao's most unforgettable memories from his early training days was the pull-up and parallel bar exercises to improve his physical fitness. As a challenge, Hao was forced to complete these exercises with much higher intensity than before. Continuously practicing on the bars for extended periods caused his hands to become chafed and bleed; every movement on the bars left his hands numb and burning. Everyone knew this, and Hao waited for someone to tell him to stop and get his wounds bandaged, but no one came. Straining to complete the exercise, Hao rushed back to his room, bursting into tears, contemplating giving up. Hao recalled: “At that time, I called my family and wanted my parents to pick me up. But then I realized this was a test from my teachers to see if I could overcome it. If I couldn't conquer the feelings of frustration and pain, I would never achieve success. Thinking that, I decided to stay and prepare for the next challenges.”

Hao and her roommates in the dormitory. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

So, Hao continued to stay at the center with remarkable perseverance and dedication, diligently following the training schedule, gradually conquering difficult techniques such as grappling, wrapping, side kicks, lifting, leg swings, throwing, etc., calmly overcoming accidents during training. "I'm so lucky to have stayed because thanks to that, I have another home with incredibly kind seniors who are always ready to support, guide, and teach me," Hao said emotionally.

After four years of training at the center, the youngest girl in the dorm room has now become an exemplary older sister to the younger students, continuing to accompany, support, and help them overcome challenges. Speaking about her future path, Hao shared: "My dream is to become a..."professional athlete"Having a long-term commitment to the center is a shared dream of all the athletes here. However, opportunities are limited, and the pressures of making a living force many to give up this dream, which is incredibly regrettable. I myself always hope that I will have the ability and courage to make that dream a reality."

Young athlete Ho Thi Hao. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Entering the new year, the young girl from the Nghe An wrestling team aims to work even harder and more diligently to bring more achievements to her hometown. With her humility, eagerness to learn, and great determination, I believe Hao will not stop at her Bronze Medal in Freestyle Wrestling for the 16-17 age group, 61 kg weight class, at the National Youth Classical and Freestyle Wrestling Championships.