From Barefoot Runner to Inspiring the Next Generation
Phan Hoang Diep, a former cross-country runner from Lam Dong, was once a barefoot boy from the Di Linh Plateau. Today, he continues his journey in sports, no longer as a professional athlete but as someone inspiring a love of running among boys and girls in the red-soil highlands.
From Champion to Inspiring the Next Generation
"I used to be part of the Lam Dong athletics team. My journey began as a barefoot child sprinting along the red-dirt paths in Gia Hiep. Over time, running took me across the country — from stadium tracks to cross-country paths over hills and passes. Running has truly become an integral part of my identity,” Phan Hoang Diep reminisced.
Growing up in Gia Hiep, Phan Hoang Diep started as an amateur runner for his local commune and later for Di Linh District. During the 2003 Lam Dong Provincial Cross-Country Championships, he competed while also taking on coaching responsibilities and achieved remarkable results. This led to his selection for the Lam Dong provincial cross-country team.
“Phan Hoang Diep was an athlete with remarkable innate ability. He largely taught himself and trained independently, yet his accomplishments were quite impressive. After being part of the provincial team for just over a year, Diep clinched the national 7-km championship in 2005,” stated Ho Van Chuong, a cross-country coach at the Lam Dong Center for Sports Training and Competition.
Chuong noted that the rise of Diep and other barefoot runners from Di Linh brought a refreshing change to the running scene in Lam Dong at that time.
Cultivating a Passion for Running
After ending his competitive sports career in 2010, Phan Hoang Diep returned to assist with his family's farming, focusing on coffee cultivation and durian tree care. Nonetheless, his love for running continued to thrive.
He established a cross-country running club with numerous members, consisting of both adults and students from the Di Linh region, who engage in regular training sessions every week.
“Children in Gia Hiep, Tam Bo, and Bao Thuan have few recreational opportunities. Running together not only enhances their fitness but also brings them joy. I introduce them to cross-country running and aim to foster a passion for every stride they take on their own land,” stated Phan Hoang Diep.
“Phan Hoang Diep is a distinguished running coach in the region and has significantly contributed to the promotion of running not only in Gia Hiep Commune but also across the Di Linh area. Notably, he has been instrumental in advancing the well-known Brah Yang Mountain Cross-Country Race, inspiring hundreds of young people to take up the sport,” stated Pham Xuan Truong, Secretary of the Gia Hiep Commune Youth Union.
“He offers free training sessions to his young athletes, including children from ethnic minority communities. For races held away from their hometown, he actively seeks out sponsors to assist with their costs. Youth Union officials in Bao Thuan and Gia Hiep communes collaborate closely with Diep to enhance cross-country training and competitions.”
The barefoot boy from the Di Linh Plateau has grown into a dedicated mentor who continues to pass his love of running on to the next generation. He has contributed to the development of running events across Lam Dong, helping create the appeal of races that take athletes across mountain passes and rugged terrain.
In 2024, Phan Hoang Diep was honored to be nominated for the Outstanding Grassroots Coach category at the Vietnam Running Awards — a valuable recognition of his nearly three decades of dedication to generations of young barefoot runners.