Coach Le Thi Hong Ngoan is very dedicated to Pencak Silat Da Nang. During her career, she won many valuable medals. After retiring, she engaged in coaching and training excellent athletes for the city's sports.

Coach Le Thi Hong Ngoan (left) guiding her trainees in practicing and improving their professional skills. Photo: P.N

One day in mid-September at the Da Nang Sports and Gymnastics Athletes Training Centre, members of the city’s Pencak Silat team practiced hard. They were in different age groups and strived to complete physical exercises and improve their professional skills.

Coach Le Thi Hong Ngoan who has many years of experience in training Pencak Silat athletes is known as the "golden girl" of Pencak Silat Da Nang in particular and Viet Nam in general.

Since she joined Da Nang’s sports team in 2005, she has left her mark in the domestic and international sports arena. Specifically, she won the World Pencak Silat Championship twice, the Asian Pencak Silat Championship twice, the SEA Games championship twice, and many national championships. Notably, she was named one of top 10 outstanding athletes nationwide in 2009 and one of top 10 outstanding examples in the field of sports nationwide in 2010.

Recalling the time of retirement, Coach Hong Ngoan said “Martial arts is my great passion, helping me conquer many glorious peaks, so I want to continue to contribute to the local sports in the role of Pencak Silat coach. Many people expressed their regret at my early retirement. However, now looking back in the past, I realise that it was the right decision because I have done many meaningful things for the city's sports”.

After retiring, Hong Ngoan took a professional coaching course and earned a degree at the Bac Ninh University of Physical Education and Sports.

In 2013, she became an assistant coach of the Da Nang Pencak Silat team and was assigned to coach the youth team at the Da Nang National Sports Training Centre.

“At first, I didn’t encounter many difficulties, but I thought that being a coach would give me the opportunity to pass on all my competition experiences, helping me miss my job less. Most importantly, I want to instill the spirit of hard work and the will to compete in the trainees” said coach Hong Ngoan.

As a coach, Hong Ngoan left many impressions when her students continuously achieved success in major tournaments.

After 5 years of training, athlete Ho Thi Xuan Dieu, a member of the Pencak Silat team, participated in 6 tournaments and won a bronze medal at the 2020 Pencak Silat Youth Championship, a bronze medal at the 2021 Championship Cup, a gold medal at the 2023 Youth Championship, a silver medal at the 2024 Championship Cup and a silver medal at the 2024 Youth Championship.

In addition, Dieu's teammate, athlete Le Van Toan, has also won many valuable medals for the city's sports over the past 6 years. Specifically, the 25-year-old athlete won a gold medal in SEA Games, four gold medals at Asian Championships, and four gold medals at World Championships. He was the champion at National Pencak Silat Championship from 2018 to present.

Athlete Le Van Toan shared "I am proud to be coach Ngoan's student. During the training and competition process, Ms. Ngoan is always dedicated, imparting all her experience to me. In particular, she always creates the best conditions for me to compete and achieve the high results in major tournaments. I will continue to strive, maintain the best performances, and conquer gold medals in future tournaments in order not to disappoint her expectations".

According to Coach Hong Ngoan, her indescribable happiness is to witness her trainees following in her footsteps to conquer the pinnacle of glory.

Currently, the Da Nang Pencak Silat team has 18 athletes. In addition to professional exercises, she focuses on improving the athletes' physical strength, ensuring high-intensity competition.

Every year, the city’s Pencak silat athletes are facilitated to compete in 3 national tournaments: youth championship, club championship and national championship. Moreover, the team's excellent athletes will have the opportunity to participate in Asian and world championships.

At the 2024 National Youth Pencak Silat Championship held in Ho Chi Minh City last August, the Da Nang Pencak Silat team won 1 gold and 3 silver medals. The team is now preparing for the 2024 National Pencak Silat Championship slated to take place in Ba Ria - Vung Tau in October. Also, athlete Le Van Toan will compete in the 2024 World Pecak Silat Championship scheduled to be held in the UAE in December.

"At present, the Pencak Silat movement at the grassroots level has not yet developed well, so the selection of talented athletes for the city’s team is still difficult. Hopefully, in the coming time, Pencak Silat will be introduced at schools so that pupils can get well acquainted with this type of sports, thereby creating a source of potential athletes for the local team” she emphasised.

Reporting by PHI NONG - Translating by M.DUNG