Olympic Vision and the Saying 'Mom, I Did It'

In general, with the current state of Vietnamese sports (VS), wherever you look, you will see shortcomings, backwardness, and underdevelopment when compared to the "Olympic environment", that is, the world level, not to mention the ASIAD (continental) level and even at the SEA Games (regional), things cannot be said to be bright, even though it has been highly focused for a long time and has had outstanding results.

Vietnam sports delegation attending the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: hanoimoi

As we understand it, investing heavily, concentrating a lot of talent and resources to serve the SEA Games goal is completely correct and necessary, when Vietnam returns to the trend of comprehensive integration with the region and the world. Let me ask, without the SEA Games “foundation”, where will the Vietnamese sports get the “source” to advance to the continent and the world?

If a SEA Games is held in Vietnam, for example, and the host does not pay attention to improving their performance, and ends up losing to the visiting teams, how will the leaders, experts and athletes "speak" in front of everyone and themselves?

The problem lies in the fact that, in addition to doing our best for each SEA Games (it is true that it is a village event, but the whole village must calculate and improve it to make it better), we must simultaneously take care of the long-term work for the ASIAD and Olympic Games with a specific strategy, with steps, scientific and creative methods, with adequate resources and feasible goals...

It is also a “problem” when the above things have been mentioned a lot, have been issued documents, have detailed policies and regimes... so why are things still sluggish, even regressing? Therefore, the failure at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be the most favorable opportunity for those responsible and dedicated to Vietnam to sit down and discuss everything clearly, in order to find the shortest and most effective way to achieve worthy achievements in this glorious and prestigious arena.

Hoang Thi Duyen completed the snatch competition with a weight of 95kg at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Getty

Among the “documents” that need to be carefully studied before discussion, there should be questions and satisfactory answers such as why countries in the region such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines… have always maintained their inherent achievements in each Olympic Games with one or two of their strong sports? That is boxing, taekwondo (Thailand, Philippines), badminton, table tennis (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore)… Or at a higher level, why have the Chinese risen strongly to be ready to usurp the throne of many sports that were once considered the strengths of other countries? And why has Vietnamese shooting, which once won gold and silver medals, taekwondo, weightlifting, which also won silver and bronze medals… now returned to “never” and cannot be overcome overnight?

Experts have of course talked about the need to do a good job in selecting athletes and coaches in general, especially key players, to have in-depth investment, and to receive regular training abroad to both study and improve their expertise, compete with high-level opponents, and get used to the environment when competing officially... All of these things are basic and correct, but they still have not "updated" to new trends and new requirements. The question continues to be asked: why not consider investment resources, non-state organizations, such as private individuals, families, and promote the will of individuals to "raise the level" of athletes, such as in tennis, basketball... for example?

If Vietnamese football follows the old model, it certainly will not have the brilliant results it has now, while most other sports still follow the old way, without any breakthroughs, so the results not only do not increase but also clearly decline.

Only with a good foundation can we hope for a real peak. Every village, commune, and block without a sports ground will naturally have no sports movement. Many golf courses have sprung up, but perhaps they have other goals, not to develop this noble sport?

Quach Thi Lan (middle) is the current Asian and Asiad champion in the 400m hurdles. Photo: Reuters

In Europe, there is an Austrian woman named Anna Kiesenhofer, 30 years old, PhD in Mathematics, who participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as an amateur athlete, without a coach, nutritionist... but defeated all professional athletes to win the gold medal in cycling! That is to say, the individual plays an extremely important and decisive role in the training and competition process according to the spirit of the Olympics: "Faster-Higher-Stronger"! If there is no spirit, will to rise up, never satisfied with the existing reality, then don't talk about sportsmanship, while top sports are a completely different story.

It is also to clearly see and cheer for the tenacious competitive spirit of badminton player Thuy Linh, swimmer Huy Hoang… at this Olympics, to believe and expect that everything is still ahead. Many fans must remember a Vietnamese track and field athlete who, when crossing the finish line first, exclaimed in tears, “Mom, I did it!” Such will, such determination of a woman, is truly worth thinking about and learning from, for every short journey as well as every long, difficult journey.

Chau Phu