The goal of the golden girl of Taekwondo Nghe An

On this occasion, Nghe An Newspaper reporter had a conversation with Thu Hoai to understand more about the path that led her to the championship.

Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai won the Gold Medal at the National Taekwondo Club Championship of the Korean Ambassador's Cup. Photo: PV

PV: How did you feel when you won the gold medal at the Club Championship?TaekwondoKorean Ambassadors Cup?

Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai:The moment I won, I felt like I was about to burst with emotions. We had a long break due to the pandemic. So when we were able to compete in the National Taekwondo Club Championship of the Korean Ambassador Cup, everyone was excited and had a very high determination.

The victory I achieved in the final match was like a release from the pressure I had put on myself before participating in the tournament. When I stepped up to the podium to receive the Gold Medal, I saw the happiness from my coach and teammates. That made me very proud, and it will also be the motivation for me to have more confidence and win more Gold Cups in the future.

PV: Can you tell us about your journey to the championship?

Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai:I participated in the National Taekwondo Club Championship of the Korean Ambassador Cup in the 49 kg weight category for the age group over 17. This event had 13 athletes from 13 provinces and cities across the country and was divided into 2 groups. I was lucky to be in a fairly easy group. I passed the group stage and won the semi-final match without much difficulty. However, my opponent in the final match was really formidable. Because in 2021, it was this athlete from Dong Nai province who beat me in the final match.

Therefore, entering this match, I was quite worried and a bit pressured. Because on the first day of competition, Nghe An Taekwondo had not won any Gold Medals. But with the encouragement, motivation, as well as the right tactical plans of the coach, I entered the final match with great determination. In previous tournaments, I had faced this opponent many times, so coach Dang Dinh Hung suggested and applied many different tactics in each round to make it difficult for the opponent to predict me. One of the tactics and the key to victory was that the coach asked me to move continuously, use kicking and blocking to neutralize the opponent's quick attacks. That reasonable tactic helped me continuously gain points and thereby step up to the highest podium of the National Taekwondo Club Championship Korean Ambassador Cup.

PV: How has the epidemic affected the psychology and professional performance of the athletes participating in the tournament? Did you personally encounter any difficulties when participating in the tournament in the context of the epidemic?

Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai:About a month ago, when the tournament started, the epidemic broke out in Nghe An. This has greatly hindered the athletes' training process. One of the biggest obstacles for me is having to wear a mask during the entire training session. Because it makes it very difficult for athletes to breathe and get air. However, to ensure that we do not get infected, my classmates and I must follow the "5K" recommendations set out by the coaching board.

During the tournament, I was always worried and afraid of being infected with Covid-19. Before each match, the Organizing Committee had to conduct tests, which made me feel quite nervous. However, this was also a memorable tournament for the athletes and we gradually adapted to all the regulations set by the Organizing Committee.

Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai shares joy with coach. Photo: PV

PV: What brought you to Taekwondo?

Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai:It was quite a surprise because when I was studying at Nghi Hoa Secondary School, Nghi Loc District, Mr. Dang Dinh Hung came to my school to select athletes. Seeing that I had a good appearance and passed a few basic tests, he selected me to go to Nghe An Sports Training and Competition Center to train. People say "The profession chooses the person, the person cannot choose the profession", this saying is quite true for me. Up to this point, I can confirm that following the path of sports is the right decision for me. It brings me a lot of things in life. It helps me go to many places, make friends with many people, and have many interesting experiences. In addition, it is also a stable job that helps me have an income to cover my life, as well as support my family.

I am passionate about Taekwondo and I will always strive to achieve even higher results in the future.

PV: What do you think about the lives of young athletes today?

Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai:I am also a young athlete at the center. I am only 21 years old this year and have been practicing this sport for 7 years. I think that young people now have favorable conditions to develop themselves. In addition to being guided by coaches on the field, they also have support from social networking sites in professional exercises.

What is essential for an athlete to succeed is perseverance, constant learning and a burning passion for the path they have chosen. If they are willing to sweat on the training floor, glory will surely come in the future.

PV: Can you tell us about your achievements in the past time? What are your goals for this year?

Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai:During my years as an athlete at the center, I have won many medals. Among them, I won 5 gold medals in domestic tournaments. This is not a large number of medals, but it is also the motivation for me to continue to strive in the future.

This year is a year with many major sporting events, especially the National Sports Festival. This is a major event that every athlete must strive to achieve for themselves and their locality. As for me, I have put aside my immediate plans to focus on training, with the hope of achieving good results for the province's sports.

PV: Thank you for this interview!

Duc Anh