After 3 years of commitment, she suddenly switched to shooting - a sport that requires high concentration, absolute precision and steadfastness. "Switching from athletics to shooting is like entering a completely new world", Thu Vinh shared and said that "if athletics is a sport of movement, requiring strength, speed and explosiveness, then shooting is the opposite, requiring stillness, high concentration and perfect breath control".
In the early days of learning to shoot, Thu Vinh encountered many difficulties due to the strict rules and the meticulous demands in every movement. Even the sound of bullets exploding from the gun in her hand made her startled and panicked many times.
"I had to get used to it gradually, starting with an empty gun first. Once I got used to it, I switched to shooting with live ammunition. At first, because I was not used to the sound of bullets, I had to wear protective headphones. When shooting, I had to focus on every breath, standing posture, and even gently pulling the trigger. Focusing on every little detail helped me forget this fear," Thu Vinh recalled.
But no matter how difficult it was, it did not discourage the determined female shooter. Thu Vinh practiced diligently every day, accepting changes to adapt to the new environment. Gradually, she learned to control her emotions, regulate her breathing and find “peace” in each shot.
"If anyone asks me why I am a girl but pursue shooting - a sport that is thought to be only for men, I will not hesitate to answer that shooting looks very "cool" and extremely attractive", Thu Vinh expressed and said: "When I witnessed my seniors and colleagues competing, I clearly felt the attraction and drama. This is what gave me a strong passion and ignited in my mind the thought that I must strive, must do something in this challenging sport".
Thu Vinh has been honored many times for her contributions to the country's sports.
Coming to shooting at an age when she was almost past her prime and had little competition experience, Thu Vinh had to work much harder to catch up with her senior colleagues. In her early days at the shooting school, she felt lost among experienced shooters. But instead of giving up, she used that as motivation to strive.
Perseverance and determination helped Thu Vinh reap the first results after only one year of training. Since 2018, medals at domestic and international tournaments have come to Thu Vinh, affirming her talent and remarkable progress.
But few people know that behind the two prestigious tickets above are days of hard training, drops of sweat on the shooting range and moments of extreme fatigue.
“Participating in the Olympics is a great honor, but I only see it as the beginning of my career,” Thu Vinh shared with pride, adding: “I know there are many challenges ahead, but I will not stop. This is just the beginning of the bigger dreams I am pursuing.”
Olympics is the peak of Thu Vinh's career
Every success comes with silent sacrifices. For Thu Vinh, the greatest sacrifice is not youth, but time with family.
Long training trips and continuous competitions abroad often made her miss family meals and warm times with her family and relatives during the holidays.
"Many people think I've sacrificed my youth to pursue sports, but the biggest thing I've sacrificed is time with my family," Thu Vinh confided. Sleepless nights in a foreign land and intense homesickness are no small mental challenge for the young girl.
Thu Vinh’s journey to success is not only a matter of hard training in techniques and tactics, but also a constant battle with herself. Mental stress, constant insomnia, and the pressure to achieve results quickly are major obstacles that the young girl has had to face throughout her career development. “Shooting is not only a battle of technique but also a battle of spirit,” Thu Vinh said.
In addition, due to the nature of shooting, the arms must be raised and lowered continuously, so the shoulders of shooters are often uneven, one side is bigger than the other. Thu Vinh shared that, honestly, it would be wrong to say that she is not self-conscious about this. Because, as a woman, everyone wants to have a balanced, attractive body.
"But these trade-offs are completely worth it. Sports have given me more than I expected. It is my passion, my desire to contribute, and the achievements I am always proud of," Thu Vinh confided.
The achievements that Thu Vinh brought back have ignited the fire of passion, strongly inspiring the younger generation, especially female athletes who are nurturing and persistently pursuing their dreams of professional sports. Thu Vinh's efforts have been recognized, when she entered the Top 19 nominees for outstanding young Vietnamese faces in 2024.
Outstanding achievements of female shooter Trinh Thu Vinh:
- National outstanding athlete in 2024.
- "Female Athlete of the Year" of the 2024 Victory Cup.
- Gold medal in 10m mixed team pistol event at the Asian Shooting Championship (January 2024).
- 4th place in 10m air pistol at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
- Ranked in the top 5 in the women's 10m air pistol event at the World Shooting Championship and officially got a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics (August 2023).
- Gold medal in 10m mixed team pistol event at the Southeast Asian Shooting Championship (SEASA) (November 2023).
- Outstanding Young Police Face 2023.
- Certificate of Merit from the Vietnam Women's Union in 2023.
- 3 gold medals at the Southeast Asian Shooting Championship (SEASA) in the 25m sport pistol and 10m women's air pistol events (2022).
- 1 gold medal, 1 bronze medal at SEA Games 31 (2022).
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