Lam Dong Promising Young Athletes
Beyond promising members of the nation's next sporting generation, two athletes from Lam Dong have become symbols of hope and aspiration. Although their journeys are different, they share a common ground: their pure passion and a strong determination to rise above challenges.
Lam Truong Vu – Growing stronger after every fall
These days, Mr. Lam Tuan Dung's small home in Thanh Tan Hamlet, Phan Ri Cua Commune, has been filled with joy as his children have returned home to celebrate the Lunar New Year. 2025 was a landmark year for the family: their son secured a spot on the national Judo team for the 33rd SEA Games and, together with his teammates, proudly brought home a bronze medal.
With a bright face and gentle smile, Truong Vu speaks about his achievements with quiet modesty. Yet the certificates of merit and medals carefully preserved by his family tell the full story — they are the hard-earned fruits of years of relentless training by the young man born in 2006.
“Living on the ocean always means being subject to the whims of the wind and waves, so my wife and I simply wished for our two children to secure steady employment eventually. During that period, in Chi Cong Commune (now known as Phan Ri Cua), the judo movement was gaining significant traction, so we encouraged Vu and his sister to participate in training at a local club in our hometown. We never anticipated that from those initial training sessions, under the attentive guidance of their coach, a deep passion for the sport would swiftly develop within them,” Mr. Lam Tuan Dung reminisced, his tone filled with warmth for his children.
Truong Vu possesses strong physical fitness, quick reflexes, and a serious training attitude. He will achieve even greater success in future competitions.
Judo Coach Nguyen Ngoc Phong, Lam Dong Sports Training and Competition Center
At the age of nine, his journey with Judo began. After school, the two siblings cycled eight kilometers to the training ground. His first gold medal in the 10-11 age group at the Judo National Competition in Da Nang marked a memorable milestone, inspiring him to continue striving and set his sights on even greater achievements.
Judo, a martial art that emphasizes technique, flexibility, control, and strategy, has shaped the boy into a disciplined athlete. After many years competing for the former Binh Thuan provincial team, Vu reached a new milestone in 2023 when he was selected to join the national youth team.
In his new training environment at the National Sports Training Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Truong Vu steadily enhances his physical strength.
Within just three years, he consecutively secured gold and silver medals at the National Youth Judo Championships, the National Judo Championships, the Beach Kurash Championships, the Southeast Asian Youth Judo Championships, and the Southeast Asian Judo Championships, while also making his mark alongside his teammates at the 33rd SEA Games.
Ahead of the 20-year-old athlete lie even larger tournaments and stronger opponents. Yet for Truong Vu, his most valuable asset remains the willpower of a son of Lam Dong’s coastal region — rising stronger after every fall, embodying the very spirit of judo: never yielding to adversity and standing firm on the tatami.
Nguyen Van Truong Hai – A seed for the future
“My name is Nguyen Van Truong Hai. I’m nine years old, from Ham Thang Ward, Lam Dong Province, and I am currently a member of the Army’s youth team.”
The brief introduction was delivered with unmistakable pride as reporters interviewed the “golden seed” after his U10 match at the Thanyapura Youth Tennis Open 2025 in Thailand in November. His face was flushed from the sun, beads of sweat still on his forehead, yet his smile shone brightly—pure and radiant.
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At the age of ten, while many of his peers were still immersed in childhood games, the boy had already grown accustomed to a life closely tied to the tennis court. His journey in pursuing the sport has been shaped not only by impressive strokes but also by relentless training, strict discipline, and the quiet yet devoted support of his family and coach.
At the age of five, he was first introduced to tennis. What started as basic familiarity and clumsy early swings eventually developed into a profound passion. Through hard work and dedication, Truong Hai advanced quickly, learning techniques such as serving with precise timing and strategically building points rather than just defending shots.
One advantage has been that both of his parents are passionate about sports. They serve as his direct “opponents” on the court and have always provided him with the best possible environment to follow his passion. The effort he put in during countless training sessions paid off in 2024, when he became one of the first three U8 players to be officially recruited to the Army’s youth team.
Coach Tran Hoang Anh Khoa sees rare potential in the young player. “Compared to others his age, Hai has strong fundamentals, excellent ball control, quick movement, and impressive tactical awareness. Most importantly, he stays calm under pressure.”
Under the blazing sun, he continues to train relentlessly—swing after swing, step after step. Each drop of sweat waters what coaches call a “green seed,” one that promises to flourish into a formidable future.
More than medals
From the tatami to the tennis court, Lam Dong’s young athletes are proving that success is built not only on talent, but also on persistence and character.
They may be at the beginning of their journeys, but their determination already speaks volumes. And one day, when larger stadiums echo with cheers, these names may once again be called—bringing pride not just to themselves, but to their hometown.
Lam Dong’s future in sports is already taking shape—one disciplined step at a time.