Table tennis
Đinh Anh Hoàng keeps eyes on earning more international titles in the future. VNS Photo An Nhiên
Thanh Hà
Staying home and following the activities of the Olympic table tennis tournament in Paris has made Đinh Anh Hoàng more determined to achieve his dream of reaching the world level.
The SEA Games and national champion is currently Việt Nam's best player. His youth, enthusiasm, and good technique are said to be enough to compete with global athletes if he receives proper and methodical support.
Table tennis potential
Born in 2002 in Đắk Lắk Province, Hoàng, however, practices and has made his name with the Hà Nội T&T Club.
Former SEA Games champion Vũ Mạnh Cường scouted Hoàng at a junior tournament and decided to bring the 'rough gem' to Hà Nội for further training.
"I saw his potential and believed that he would be a good player in the future. Since he joined Hà Nội T&T, he has been a key player for the team in every junior and senior competition," Cường said.
Notably, at age 20, he contributed to six out of seven golds for Hà Nội at the National Sports Games 2022.
At the recent national championships, he won silver in the mixed doubles and men's team events and gold in the men's doubles.
"Under the new name Police T&T, we exceeded expectations, winning one gold and three silvers," Hoàng said.
Đinh Anh Hoàng (right) and teammate Lê Đình Đức have dominated the national championships' men's pair for five straight years. -- VNS Photo Minh Giang
"However, I regretted it a little because I was disqualified early in the men's singles category, resulting in a poorer result than last year when I won silver.
"It was a loss to a rival who was experienced and strong-minded. I lost to him in the deciding points. But it has become a big lesson for me, helping me understand my weaknesses and how to fix them."
He added that being trained by coach Cường was also a great opportunity for him to develop his career. What he learned from Cường was not only technique, but also mental control to boost his ability.
As a member of the national team, he is also a regular participant in international competitions.
Together with female teammate Trần Mai Ngọc, Hoàng ended Việt Nam's 26-year title drought in the mixed doubles event at the 32nd SEA Games in 2023 in Cambodia.
It marked the nation's return to regional competition and a significant milestone for the young player, who now looks to higher-level events.
"Honestly, I still feel emotional when thinking about the title. It was like a dream. I am proud of winning the gold for Việt Nam, and it is a strong motivation for me and other Vietnamese athletes. We will use it to sharpen our skills to the best," Hoàng said.
"The final saw us save seven championship points before beating Singapore 3-1 to take gold. It was a crazy game that would rarely happen in an international event. But we made the miracle."
Olympic target
Hoàng was one of four Vietnamese athletes to take part in the 2024 Olympic qualification of the Asian zone in May in Thailand.
Carrying the nation's high hopes seemed a big challenge, leading to his loss in the semi-final match and failure to earn an official ticket.
"It is said that Vietnamese athletes have the same good technique as international competitors. However, we cannot catch up with them due to the lack of good training facilities and competition opportunities," Hoàng said.
Đinh Anh Hoàng (right) and teammate Trần Mai Ngọc seen in action at the 32nd SEA Games' mixed doubles final. They beat Singapore rivals to top the podium.. -- VNS Photo
"Before the qualifier, my teammates and I had intensive training in China. Personally, it was a great practice for me as I improved a lot, while my teammates made clear changes in their expertise. And it seemed that mentality was still a challenge to overcome. We need to address this issue to be more confident in international arenas.
"Like all athletes, I will always try my best in my chosen passion, hoping to win many major titles for myself and Việt Nam in the future," he said. VNS
OVietnam