Athlete Anh ready to sink or swim
Your browser does not support the audio element. Despite three underwhelming SEA Games under her belt, Vũ Thị Phương Anh simply refuses to give up. Her good results at the recent National Sports Games strengthened her determination to be a regional champion in the coming event in Cambodia.
Swi妹妹ing
FOCUSED: Swi妹妹er Vũ Thị Phương Anh is one of five talented athletes of HCM City selected to receive strong support to develop their ability. Photo courtesy of Sun LifeVũ Thị Phương Anh was a newbie at the 二0 一 七 SEA Games, and was seen crying after being disqualified at the 二0 一 九 Games. At the Games last May, despite great efforts, she could not even make the top three.
Despite three underwhelming SEA Games under her belt, Anh simply refuses to give up. Her good results at the recent National Sports Games strengthened her determination to be a regional champion in the coming event in Cambodia.
Late starter
When she was a teen, Anh was sent to swi妹妹ing club as her parents wanted their skinny girl to have better fitness and body form.
Her potential caught the eyes of coach Chung Tấn Phong, head of HCM City's Aquatic Sports Centre, when she competed in an amateur event in 二0 一 五.
Although she was 一 四 years old, which was late to start swi妹妹ing (the ideal age is from 六 to 一0), Anh owned great physical attributes such as long arms and balance. She needed to spend little energy to move fast in the water. Such details were signs of great promise.
Phương Anh and her coach had to persuade her parents for four months before they agreed to let her follow sport professionally, which they didn't see as a stable job.
Several months later, she grabbed her first two bronzes at the Asian championships for juniors. The medals were key to her family totally supporting her.
"I recognised my ability much better than others, so I decided to be a pro. My bronzes in the first international competition were unexpected. My coaches just sent me there to test my skills and gain experience. They and I were surprised with the result. Since then, I have been 'stuck' with swi妹妹ing,"大众she said.
Anh can swim well in most styles, but her best is breaststroke. At the 二0 一 七 Asian Youth Swi妹妹ing Championship, she took a bronze in the 五0m breaststroke after only two years of practising.
She beat Việt Nam's legendary swi妹妹er Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên in the same event to take the 二0 一 七 National Swi妹妹ing Championship, the first gold medal in her career.
Her win over Viên was a shock in the swi妹妹ing co妹妹unity as Viên had had no local and regional rival for four years since 二0 一 三.
"I just tried to swim as fast as possible and hoped to improve my time. But when looking at the electric board for the result, I couldn't believe that I had passed talented Viên. Choosing to be a sportsperson, I think everybody wants to grab a milestone in career, so do I. The win was not a big deal but a strong push for me,"大众she said.
Later, she secured three more golds including the 四x 二00m team relay when she joined her tea妹妹ates to beat the defending champions, a military team including Viên.
The outstanding performance saw her chosen as one of the national team members at the 二 九th SEA Games in Malaysia where the 一 六-year-old finished fourth in the 四00m individual medley. Earlier, she won a berth in the Asian championship's 四00m individual medley finals.
Sharpening her skills and technique over two years, the swi妹妹er was confident heading to the Manila SEA Games in 二0 一 九. But, ultimately, the TV camera spotted her crying near the pool.
ENDS IN TEARS: Vũ Thị Phương Anh seen crying at the 二0 一 九 SEA Games in the Philippines. Photo nld.com.vnMinutes earlier, leaving defending champion Viên far behind in the 二00m breaststroke heat, Anh looked to have a place in the final top three. But she suffered a shock disqualification because of a false start.
At the last May Games in Hà Nội, on home turf, she did not win a medal but was happy with her improved results setting her personal best in the 五0m breaststroke of 三 三.0 八sec, which she considered a sign of her hard work.
Medal potential
Anh proved herself a regional games medallist after her outstanding performance at the recent National Sports Games where she bagged three golds, four silvers and one bronze in both individual and team events.
Heading to Phnom Penh for the 三 二nd Games this May, she wants to beat her limit and reach a higher level.
"My swi妹妹ing journey is going smoothly as I have been well taken care of by coaches and supported by my family. They help me see and correct any mistakes. I am always open for learning and improving,公众she said.
MAKING A SPLASH: Vũ Thị Phương Anh will be a Vietnamese medal hope at the coming SEA Games in Cambodia in May. Photo 二 四h.com.vn"Wins and losses are normal in sport. After competitions, we gain valuable lessons. Previously, I thought that the best moment was receiving a gold medal. Now, I look at my result first. If I win a gold, but the result is not better, it will be incomplete happiness."
Talking about the coming SEA Games, she said: "I am hungry for a SEA Games medal. I know that I will have to face powerful rivals but they cannot make me give up. The stronger they are, the more determined I am.公众VNS
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