Tran Le Tan Dat from the Da Nang Athlete Training Centre is the golden face of the city's karate sector.

Tran Le Tan Dat (left) is the typical face of the city's karate sport. (Photo courtesy of the character)

At the age of 21, he has repeatedly won gold medals in Southeast Asian championship tournaments. At the recent 32^nd SEA Games, he excellently grabbed a gold medal in the men's team event. His success comes from outstanding efforts, steadfast will and great love for karate.

Born and raised in Quang Tri Province, from a young age, Dat was self-disciplined, and did not succumb to difficulties. When he was a 8^th grader, he found himself suitable and capable of developing in karate.

In 2015, he was selected by the coaches at the Da Nang Athlete Training Centre to participate in training in this sport.

“This is an important turning point in my career. Before that, my relative introduced me to Da Nang to register for the city’s karate team. No one in my family followed the professional sports path, so when I went to live and practice at the Da Nang Athlete Training Centre, they were worried. However, the encouragement of my relatives and the enthusiastic guidance of teachers make me more determined to pursue karate. Over the past 8 years, my great efforts have been well rewarded when I have achieved many high prizes for my country's sports and Da Nang” Dat confided.

For many athletes, having to practice intensely often does not avoid injuries, even repeated injuries. Tan Dat also cannot avoid this situation. 8 years of practice and competition, Dat has struggled from many injuries. However, his special love for karate and the enthusiastic encouragement of teachers have motivated him to continue his chosen career path.

Thanks to his great efforts, over the years, he has made strides in his career and continuously achieved outstanding results. After 2 years of being selected to the city team, in 2017, Dat was called for the national youth karate team.

In 2018, he won an individual gold medal at the Southeast Asian youth karate championship. In 2021, at the age of 18, he was called to focus on the national team. A year later, he won an individual gold medal in the men’s 84kg weight category and a team silver medal at the Southeast Asian karate championship.

In 2023, also in the regional arena, Dat won 3 gold medals, including 2 for the individual event and 1 for the team event. At the recent 32^nd SEA Games hel in Cambodia, Dat and his teammates won a gold medal in the men's team. In addition, Dat brought home many gold medals at the 9^th National Games Festival in 2022.

“As a young athlete, I always keep myself a scientific, self-disciplined lifestyle, making daily efforts to practice and compete. After the 32^nd SEA Games, I am focusing on recovering from a knee injury. My goal is to return to training activities soon in order to achieve the highest results at the 2023 Asian Games (ASIAD)" Dat said.

According to Coach Nguyen Thanh Hai from the Da Nang Training Centre, Dat is one of the typical athletes in the city's karate sport. During training and competition, Dat always shows great efforts and is fun and harmony with teammates at the centre. The outstanding achievements achieved for the country's sports and sports in Da Nang are proofs of his strong will and efforts over the past 9 years. Currently, Da Nang is aiming to conquer bigger tournaments in the future.

Reporting by PHI NONG - Translating by M.DUNG