“I want to make my own life beautiful”

Closing a successful year of competition, weightlifter Le Van Cong maintained his dominant position in the 49 kg weight class throughout 7 consecutive ASEAN Para Games from 2007 to present. In the joy of welcoming the new spring, the man known as the “steel athlete” set goals to continue to assert himself and contribute to his homeland and country.

Traveling more than 50 km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City, I came to the small house in Giong Sao hamlet, Tan Phu Trung commune (Cu Chi district) of the world champion in weightlifting with disabilities, Le Van Cong. Listening to the story of his journey to pursue and conquer his dream, I admired even more the extraordinary will and effort of the athlete who holds many world records.

Born in 1984 in Ha Tinh City, Le Van Cong was born with a congenital disability. His underdeveloped legs were a consequence of his mother having dengue fever during pregnancy. Overcoming his inferiority complex, Le Van Cong tried to study and live independently with his strong, active hands.

After graduating from high school, he went to Ho Chi Minh City alone to study electronics at a vocational school for the disabled. To make ends meet, in addition to his class hours, he did many other jobs, from selling lottery tickets to typing documents for hire, sanding for wood shops... Because he wanted to save everything for his studies, for many years, he often went to the temple to receive charity vegetarian meals.

Athlete Le Van Cong - a shining example of perseverance to overcome difficulties and rise up.

After graduating, Le Van Cong and his wheelchair went everywhere to look for a job but failed. Not discouraged, he registered for an additional IT class at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Vocational Guidance Club for the Disabled. This was also the opportunity that led Le Van Cong to weightlifting, when he was introduced to join the training at the Weightlifting Club of the Tan Binh District Cultural and Sports Center.

Under the direct training and instruction of Mr. Nguyen Hong Phuc, Le Van Cong showed his love and made clear progress in this sport. After only 2 months of getting acquainted and practicing, he surprised everyone by winning the silver medal at the National Weightlifting Championship for the Disabled in the 48 kg weight class in 2005. Through the arduous training process, with a determined spirit, Le Van Cong gradually conquered the peak through each weight level in the national tournament system, large-scale sports events from the region (ASEAN Para Games), continent (Asian Para Games), to the world (Paralympic).

The first international tournament Le Van Cong attended was the 2007 ASEAN Para Games and he won the gold medal in the 49 kg weight class with a weight of 152.5 kg.

Le Van Cong continues to maintain his dominant position in the 49kg weight class throughout 7 consecutive Para Games from 2007 to present.

The first international tournament that Le Van Cong attended was the 2007 ASEAN Para Games, where he won the gold medal in the 49 kg weight class with a weight of 152.5 kg.

The biggest event in Le Van Cong's athlete life was in 2011. During the peak of his career, most notably winning the 2009 ASEAN Para Games gold medal with a record of 165 kg, he had a motorbike accident that resulted in an injury to the main muscle joint in his shoulder. After the incident, Le Van Cong almost collapsed when he received advice from the doctor: "You should give up sports to save your arm". For many days, he locked himself in the house, struggling with thoughts of whether to stop or continue competing? But then when he thought about his family, the future and the loved ones who always believed in him, a will arose, motivating him to "start over".

Being patient in each physical therapy session, gradually getting used to the weights again, after 3 years, Le Van Cong has come back strongly to continue to reap resounding achievements in the international arena. The gold medal at the Asian Para Weightlifting Championship in late July 2015 in Kazakhstan is a testament to the extraordinary efforts of the athlete from Ha Tinh. With a weight of 182 kg, Le Van Cong broke the world record of 181.5 kg that he set in October 2014 at the Asian Para Games in Incheon, Korea.

Le Van Cong broke the record and won the first gold medal at the Rio Paralympics in 2016.

At the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, athlete Le Van Cong brought home a valuable gold medal for the Vietnamese Disabled Sports Delegation in the 49 kg weightlifting event. This is also the first Paralympic gold medal in the history of Vietnamese disabled sports after 16 years of participating in the Olympics. Immediately after winning the gold medal, Le Van Cong was allowed to lift once more and he surpassed 183 kg, breaking the Paralympic record in this weight class.

Weightlifter Le Van Cong won gold medal at the 2023 World Weightlifting Championship for the Disabled with a weight of 176kg - (Photo: FBNV) .

At the 2023 World Para Weightlifting Championships held in Saudi Arabia in August, Le Van Cong defeated Jordanian Omar Qarada - the reigning world and Paralympic champion - to win the gold medal in the 49 kg weight class. Previously, at the 12th ASEAN Para Games in 2023 held in Cambodia, he won 2 gold medals, thereby maintaining his dominant position in the 49 kg weight class throughout 7 ASEAN Para Games from 2007 to present.

Le Van Cong's miracle not only "shocked" the international media, but his story also became a model of overcoming disability, changing fate, and strongly inspiring people with disabilities in the country and the world.

“I never thought that a disabled person like me would one day become a weightlifter. But I always try and am determined to overcome my limits. Instead of blaming fate, I want to make my life beautiful in a very special way,” said weightlifter Le Van Cong.

Behind the prestigious medals and world records that weightlifter Le Van Cong achieved, in addition to the support and encouragement of his coach and teammates, there is also a "rear" who is always silently by his side, cheering him on and taking care of everything so that he can confidently pursue his passion - that is his hard-working wife - Ms. Chu Thi Tam.

The love and support from his capable wife help the world record holder in weightlifting focus on training and competition.

The road to marriage of Mr. Cong and Ms. Tam (from Nghi Loc district, Nghe An province) encountered many difficulties. However, with love, understanding and sympathy, they gradually overcame the barriers to build a home together.

Ms. Tam confided: “When we were still living in Duc Hoa district (Long An province), every day, Mr. Cong had to ride a 3-wheel motorbike more than 60 km to Ho Chi Minh City to practice. When he got home, it was already 9-10 pm. And many times he was injured and thought he would not be able to practice again, but I never saw him give up his will and passion. No matter what tournament he competed in, I always believed that my husband would win because his willpower was very strong.”

Mr. Cong had to ride a 3-wheel motorbike more than 60 km to Ho Chi Minh City to practice.

With the money saved and the prize money from winning prizes, the couple has a spacious house in Cu Chi district (Ho Chi Minh City). In addition to spending time practicing sports, Mr. Cong also repairs and assembles audio equipment at home, providing a stable income. Returning to normal life, the joy of the world record holder is simply having meals with his wife, taking care of and picking up his two children from school, practicing at home and earning extra income to support his family.

Returning to normal life, world champion Le Van Cong has simple hobbies such as eating with his wife, taking care of his children, practicing at home and earning extra income to help his family.

“Sports have changed my life, not only allowing me to satisfy my passion but also helping my family have a better life. Thanks to sports, I have been able to overcome my fate, assert myself, take control of my life and integrate into society,” the athlete from Ha Tinh expressed.

With his achievements, Le Van Cong was awarded the First and Third Class Labor Medals and many other noble awards from the Party, State, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Department of Physical Training and Sports...

Le Van Cong won a silver medal in weightlifting in the men's 49kg category at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Photo: Internet.

“At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, I had some regrets about only winning a silver medal, so from now on, I have determined that I must train and prepare the best to aim for the goal of winning medals in 3 consecutive Paralympics in 2024. I hope that the new year of Giap Thin will be a great success, bringing new achievements and glory to myself, my family, my hometown, and my country,” weightlifter Le Van Cong shared.

Article: Ngan Giang

Photo: PV, Internet, NVCC

Design: Cong Ngoc

3:14:02:2024:08:30

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/xa-que/nha-vo-dich-the-van-hoi-le-van-cong-toi-muon-tu-lam-dep-cuoc-doi-minh/258755.htm