'Double the pressure, halve the difficulties'

Among the hundreds of athletes currently in Quang Tri to participate in the "Cycling for Peace" event organized by Quang Tri province in coordination with Thanh Nien Newspaper, there are some athletes who are members of the same family. Mr. Tran Cong Binh and his son Tran Cong Man are one such special pair. Cong Man is also one of the youngest athletes participating in the "Destination for Peace " cycling race within the framework of this year's "Cycling for Peace" event.

Tran Cong Binh and his son Tran Cong Man

On the afternoon of June 28th, the father and son traveled from Da Nang to Dong Ha city (Quang Tri province) to prepare. Their essential luggage included two sturdy bicycles, each costing around 70 million VND.

Mr. Binh said he started practicing mountain biking more than 5 years ago, while his son only started at the beginning of 2023. The cycling movement in Da Nang city, where his family lives, is quite strong. It's a sport that isn't restricted by time, doesn't depend on specific venues, or require a cycling partner, so many people choose it to both improve their health and travel through different regions.

"My family is very supportive of our passion because investing in sports is like investing in health; we invest according to our means. For example, each of our bikes costs between 60 and 70 million VND. Accessories like helmets, clothes, shoes, etc., cost a few million VND each," Mr. Binh shared.

Trailer for the Cycling for Peace Day

Binh and his son practice before the Cycling for Peace Day.

Despite his young age, Tran Cong Man has experience participating in many amateur cycling races in various provinces and cities, and his father has always been by his side. Cong Man also aims to finish in the top 10 in the men's category (ages 18-39).

Competing alone is stressful enough, but competing with family doubles the pressure as you have to cycle while worrying about your companion.

"In cycling, injuries are unavoidable, so I will try to minimize them as much as possible. I have passed on all my experience from the past five years to my son, and my family only participates in races where I trust the organizers to be reputable and ensure the safety of the athletes," shared Mr. Tran Cong Binh.

"Participating in the same tournament as my father certainly puts some pressure on me, but I have complete faith in the experience he has accumulated," said young athlete Tran Cong Man.

Despite only starting training a little over a year ago, Tran Cong Man (in the red shirt) has achieved quite good results in amateur competitions.

The Cycling for Peace event is not just a "game" for young, fit male athletes; it also includes participants of various ages. As many as 127 athletes registered for the over-51 age category. The oldest participant was Ung Samrach (73 years old, Ratanakiri Cycling Club, Cambodia). The event also featured 43 female athletes from both within and outside the country.

According to the schedule, the Cycling for Peace Festival will take place over two days. On June 29th, at the Hien Luong - Ben Hai Riverbanks historical site (Vinh Linh District), all cyclists, delegates, and cycling enthusiasts, regardless of gender or age, are invited to participate in the parade. After the flag-raising ceremony at the Hien Luong border flagpole, the procession will march 42 km along the following route: starting from the Hien Luong - Ben Hai Riverbanks National Special Historical Site, crossing the Hien Luong Bridge to the Trung Son intersection (Gio Linh District), turning onto Provincial Road 76, and continuing to the Truong Son National Martyrs Cemetery, before ending at Fidel Park (Dong Ha City).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hai-cha-con-tren-duong-dua-xe-dap-luc-nhan-doi-kho-khan-se-nua-185240628232848528.htm