VietNamNet Bridge – At the age of 21, Do Ngan Thuong has pursued gymnastics for 15 years. That period is about to close because the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) 2011 will be her last competition as a gymnast--to become a coach.
Thuong ought to have become a coach but the national gymnastic team needs a pioneer at the upcoming SEA Games, so Ngan Thuong, with nickname “doll”, has decided to return.

Ngan Thuong is the most outstanding gymnast of Vietnam. She left her family when she was six to go to China for training. Thuong’s childhood were days of training and the small girl had to bear missions which were beyond a kid’s ability.

The 15 years with gymnastics brought about unforgettable experience for Thuong, with glorious moments on victory platforms and painful wounds. She didn’t sleep many nights because of homesickness. She has experienced many painful injuries and several times she has planned to say goodbye to this sweaty sport.

Thuong has won many medals and was the top gymnast of Southeast Asia for many consecutive years. In the past two years, she has had to struggle with a knee injury. At the age of 21, Thuong said she could not perform well difficult moves but in the eyes of junior gymnasts, she is still an integral support, in terms of professional skills and spirit. That is why she returns to the national team.

Thuong was on the ebb after the doping scandal at Olympic 2008 in Beijing. That the saddest memory in her life. “For me, this is a big lesson for me and will never repeat it. I also hope that it will be a lesson for young athletes and they will be able to stand up against whenever they fall,” she said.

After graduation from the Sports and Physical Training University, Thuong has become a coach in Hanoi. She is in charge of seeking young talents and training them.

Thuong said she was very sad because her career as a gymnast would officially end.

PV