The coach of the female boxer who won the bronze medal at the ASIAD revealed emotional details

Talent does not wait for age

Among the Vietnamese athletes who won medals at the 19th ASIAD, Bac Thi Khiem received much attention because this was the first time the Thai ethnic girl participated in an Asian Games.

Bac Thi Khiem won the bronze medal at ASIAD in her first participation. Photo: Quy Luong.

In the quarter-finals, Khiem competed excellently, surpassing his opponent from Korea - the homeland of this martial art, but in the semi-finals, the Vietnamese martial artist could not make a surprise against the Chinese athlete, accepting 3rd place overall.

Sharing with Giao Thong Newspaper, Khiem said that because it was her first time competing at the ASIAD, although the coaching staff had prepared her thoroughly in terms of tactics and expertise, there were times when she still felt nervous and tense.

"The opponents are very strong, top class in the continent, with extensive battle experience, so each match is very difficult. Although I could not advance to the final, I tried my best and am temporarily satisfied with this result. However, I will definitely not stop, continue to try to conquer new milestones," said the 23-year-old female boxer.

Bac Thi Khiem is a familiar face in the Vietnamese taekwondo community. She once surprised experts when she won the 30th SEA Games gold medal at the age of 19 and has been a mainstay of the taekwondo team ever since. But few people know that she was on the team when she was 15 years old.

The opportunity that brought Khiem to Taekwondo was also special when a teacher at secondary school introduced her to the teachers at Son La Sports Training Center. Thanks to her good physique and jumping ability, she was selected and it only took her one year to make her mark with 6 gold medals in domestic tournaments. At that time, she was only 13 years old.

Coach Quang Van Lich, who directly trained Khiem at Son La Sports Training Center, said that the female boxer born in 2000 has an extremely great will.

"In terms of qualities, he has good physique and endurance, but his technique is still somewhat limited. However, thanks to his hard work and strong will to succeed, he has achieved success. In the team, he is always a shining example for the younger players to follow, not only in terms of expertise but also in life," said Mr. Lich.

Mr. Lich also commented that at the age of 23, the young student still has potential for development: "Khiem is currently mainly practicing and living in the national team. I also regularly discuss with the teachers on the national team with the hope of helping her maximize her potential. I believe that with the spirit of not giving up, she will go further in the future."

The dutiful son

Bac Thi Khiem was born and raised in Muong Gion commune, Quynh Nhai district, Son La. In a conversation with Giao thong newspaper, Khiem said that her family was in very difficult circumstances: "Before, every day I had to walk about 8km up the mountain road to get to school.

Bac Thi Khiem with the coaching staff and teammates of the Vietnam taekwondo team. Photo by Quy Luong.

In addition to studying, I help my parents with farming. Life is very hard, lacking all year round. That's why, when I was selected to practice professional sports, I immediately agreed, partly because I wanted to reduce my parents' burden, and partly because I wanted to strive for a brighter future."

According to Coach Quang Van Lich, when he entered the Son La Sports Training Center, Khiem was only 12 years old but was very self-disciplined, hard-working and almost never missed a workout. Perhaps it was the difficult childhood that forged the strong will of the female boxer who just won the ASIAD bronze medal.

"There were times when I wanted to give up this path when injuries, pain, and heavy training exhausted me. However, thinking about my family and thanks to the encouragement of my teachers, I was excited and continued," Khiem confided.

According to research, the girl born in 2000 is currently the pillar of the family. Her mother has a leaky heart valve and needs regular medication. Her two younger siblings are studying in Hanoi and are also being supported and cared for by her.

"Because of his circumstances, Khiem is very frugal. He spends almost nothing on himself except for a few clothes from his salary, bonuses, and allowances. He saves every penny to buy medicine for his mother and pay for his younger siblings' school fees. He also uses the money he sends back to renovate the stilt house in the countryside," Mr. Lich added.

When asked about his dream, Khiem smiled and replied: "I just wish my parents to be healthy and my siblings to study well. As for myself, I will compete as long as I can because besides taekwondo, I have no special passion."

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/thay-cua-nu-vo-si-gianh-hcd-asiad-tiet-lo-chi-tiet-day-xuc-dong-192230930132411015.htm