Gold Medal for Life
“Before the 2024 Asian Karate Championship, I only had one goal above all, which was to focus on training to be ready for the competition. When participating in the tournament, many strong opponents showed good skills, and I also tried my best. The coaching staff had good tactics and I achieved this very meaningful result,” said martial artist Nguyen Thi Ngoan.
The 2024 Asian Karate Championship just ended in Hangzhou (China) on September 22, Nguyen Thi Ngoan won the individual Gold Medal in the women's over 68kg category of kumite (sparring).
In the conversation, Nguyen Thi Ngoan expressed that this was the first individual Gold Medal in the Asian Karate Championship. In her career, Nguyen Thi Ngoan had won the above result but it was when she participated in the women's kumite team event. For any athlete, winning the individual championship at the Asian Karate Championship always has spiritual significance and professional value.
“Since I started training and became a professional karate athlete, I have always dreamed of one day winning an individual gold medal at the Asian Championship. I have participated in karate competitions at many levels, achieved professional results, and tournaments that have their own meaning for me. But winning the gold medal at the 2024 Asian Championship gave me a different feeling,” Nguyen Thi Ngoan confided.
By coincidence, the day Nguyen Thi Ngoan won the Gold Medal at the 2024 Asian Karate Championship coincided with the time when her Army Sports and Physical Training Center celebrated its 70th anniversary. The female martial artist, who holds the rank of professional military captain, shared that it was the most meaningful gift she wanted to thank the teachers and coaches of the Army Sports and Physical Training Center, the place that trained and coached her to become who she is today.
Still regretting "missing" the ASIAD championship
In just one year, Nguyen Thi Ngoan had two different emotions at the same competition venue in Hangzhou (China). Last year at the same time, the Vietnamese karate team participated in the 19th ASIAD. We had Nguyen Thi Ngoan, a martial artist who entered the final of the women's 61kg category. Unfortunately, Ngoan tried her best but lost to the host athlete Gong Li (China) so she had to accept the runner-up position, receiving the Silver Medal at the 19th ASIAD.
After a year, the 2024 Asian Karate Championship was held again at the competition venue in Hangzhou (China) and now Nguyen Thi Ngoan is more confident when competing in the over 68kg category in the final match. The precise strike of this female athlete from Hanoi defeated her opponent from Nepal, helping Nguyen Thi Ngoan win a well-deserved Gold Medal.
Nguyen Thi Ngoan once expressed that the final match at ASIAD 19 is always an unforgettable memory because there was a time when she thought she had won the most valuable Gold Medal. However, the result is still the result. Nguyen Thi Ngoan said that every martial artist participating in any arena, especially ASIAD, always tries their best.
“After ASIAD 19, my life is still normal. I still focus on my profession and I always try to improve myself,” Nguyen Thi Ngoan added. However, looking deep into the eyes of this very strong athlete, not winning a Gold Medal at ASIAD 19 is still a disappointment, even though she does not show it.
In the next two years, Vietnamese karate will continue its journey to compete in the 20th ASIAD in Japan. Experts predict that competing in the homeland of the country that gave birth to karate will never be easy for athletes, including Vietnamese athletes. However, there is still time to prepare professionally. At the 2024 Asian Karate Championship, Nguyen Thi Ngoan won the individual gold medal in the 68kg category and the women's kumite team gold medal. All of this is considered a stepping stone for this individual martial artist and Vietnamese karate athletes to prepare more thoroughly.
After the 19th ASIAD, Nguyen Thi Ngoan threw herself into training to regain her best form. Returning from China after the recent 2024 Asian Karate Championship, the martial artists had a short break and then continued training. Nguyen Thi Ngoan shared that she still has an important goal in October this year, which is to compete for the highest result at the 2024 National Karate Championship.
The house has two karate sisters
The Army Sports Karate in particular and the national women's team karate in general (in the kumite category) have Nguyen Thi Ngoan as an outstanding factor. Now, Ngoan's younger sister, martial artist Nguyen Thi Dieu Ly, is also a member of the Vietnam Youth Karate Team. In 2022, Dieu Ly made a big splash when she won the Gold Medal at the World Youth Championship. The coaching staff of the Army Karate Team once shared that Ngoan and Ly have martial arts talent. In particular, both are very resilient when standing on the fighting ring.
Nguyen Thi Ngoan once shared that perhaps there is no case like in her family where both siblings pursue a career in martial arts, especially karate. The children focus on their duties for the national team so they have to be away from home most of the year, but Ngoan and Ly's parents still support the careers of the two martial artists. Because they believe that choosing a career in sports helps their children grow up more. Also, the martial arts environment always has the highest discipline for each person to perfect themselves.
Nguyen Thi Ngoan said that she always tries her best and never wants to rest because there are still many goals ahead to strive for. However, in the near future, when her senior sister gradually gets older, Nguyen Thi Dieu Ly will definitely be the one to follow in her sister's footsteps to continue training and competing to achieve the highest results for Vietnamese karate. Each of them (Nguyen Thi Ngoan, Nguyen Thi Dieu Ly) is strong on the stage, but in daily life, both are feminine girls who like to beautify themselves like their peers.
When asked about her future goals, Nguyen Thi Ngoan shared that her biggest advantage with her sister is that they are from the same family, so they always exchange information to help each other improve their skills. Also, when facing pressure in training and competition, the sisters are like friends who share and help each other overcome difficulties. Not excluding that, Nguyen Thi Ngoan herself also aims for a career in coaching after leaving the ring.
However, now, she is still waiting for the day when she can join her sister in the female kumite team at an important tournament so that both can affirm their expertise. In 2025, karate will continue to be included in the competition program of the 33rd SEA Games by host Thailand. Professionals are still waiting for the official announcement of the content. And it is very likely that the opportunity to participate will be given to Nguyen Thi Ngoan and Nguyen Thi Dieu Ly in their specialty. The coaching staff of the Vietnam Karate Team shared that currently, the kata (performance) and kumite (combat) events have enthusiastic young coaches and athletes, approaching high levels and eager to learn to achieve the best results as set out.
