At the recent 2015 World Swimming Championships in Kazan, Russia, Da Nang’s talented 22-year-old swimmer Hoang Quy Phuoc fell short of expectations when he failed to advance to the semi-finals of the men’s 100m and 200m freestyle events.  His times in these events were disappointingly far below his previous personal bests.  He also missed the qualifying round of the men's 100m butterfly event on 7 August. 

The main reason for Phuoc’s disappointing results in recent international competitions is thought to be his frequent changes of training venues and coaches.

Local swimmer Hoang Quy Phuoc

In March 2012, Phuoc was sent to the USA on a long-term training course in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.  However, around one month later, Phuoc left the USA for Nanning, China, to continue his training course due to internal disagreements between the Da Nang Sports and Physical Training Sector and the Swimming Sector of the Viet Nam Sports Administration (VSA).

Phuoc has more recently been sent to the Sports Club Renaissance in Japan for a 4-month training course which ran from 2 February to 5 June.  However, it seems that the club was not a suitable place to help Phuoc improve his skills.  The club’s website says that the Renaissance Club was established in 1982 and its first project was to provide training courses in tennis.  In addition, Phuoc had to look after himself in his daily life and training activities and he was also suffering from chronic pain in his lower back. 

He seems to have lost confidence and his achievements have been compared with, and overshadowed by, those of the talented young Vietnamese female swimmer Anh Vien.

After the 2015 World Swimming Championships end, Phuoc will return to Viet Nam to cure his injuries instead of returning to Japan for training.  He will go to the Sports Medicine Hospital to be diagnosed and receive treatment.  The local Sports and Physical Training Sector will then propose that VSA bring Phuoc back to Da Nang to provide the best care for him.       

After his injuries are completely cured, Phuoc will be sent to Europe, likely Hungary, for training.