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Vietnamese fencer Vũ Thành An (proper) competes within the last of the lads’s particular person sabre occasion within the thirtieth SEA Video games 2019 within the Philippines. He’ll defend his title in Could in Hà Nội. Picture sport5.vn
Thanh Hà
The thirty first Southeast Asian (SEA) Video games would be the most particular regional meet in Vũ Thành An’s profession.
The ASEAN No 1 fencer will carry the nationwide flag for Staff Việt Nam and is concentrating on two gold medals. It’s the fifth time he will likely be the nation’s flag service at a significant sporting occasion.
Most of all, he expects to rejoice worldwide victory on residence turf for the primary, with the SEA Video games again within the nation after 19 years.
“It’s a very particular SEA Video games for me,” An instructed Việt Nam Information.
“First, it’s a showpiece organised in Việt Nam and my residence city Hà Nội, a uncommon alternative that an athlete could have simply as soon as in a lifetime if he’s fortunate.
“Second, I’ve to do two jobs without delay: practising for a event and preventing towards COVID-19.
“And third, due to the pandemic, athletes are put in an uncommon scenario. Prior to now, we had as much as eight competitions per 12 months. This 12 months, nothing. It has not ever occurred earlier than.”
An and his teammates are in intensive follow for the Video games, which is able to come within the subsequent three weeks in Hà Nội and 11 close by localities.
On the Video games, An is predicted to defend his titles within the particular person and group occasions within the males’s sabre.
He can even be Việt Nam’s flag bearer on the opening ceremony on Could 12.
Fencer Vũ Thành An (proper) will, for the fifth time, maintain Việt Nam’s nationwide flag on the SEA Video games this Could. — Picture nongnghiep.vn
“It’s my honour and I’m moved. I’m proud and I’m prepared. I additionally really feel a bit stress. Though it’s my fifth time, imagine me, it’s a holy feeling when holding the nationwide flag. This sense will be stronger as a result of I’ll do it in my residence city,” mentioned An. “Not each athlete has such an opportunity.”
He beforehand was the flag bearer for Việt Nam on the Rio Olympics in 2016, the SEA Video games in 2017 and 2019, and the Asian Video games in 2018.
An is taken into account a ‘fortunate’ flag bearer as after his service, Việt Nam gained their first-ever Olympic and Asian Video games golds.
Strain, worries, confidence
An believes that defeat is unacceptable in such a particular SEA Video games.
“It’s my very own option to encourage myself forward of the essential event. I wish to remind myself to attempt more durable each day,” he mentioned.
The world No 46 mentioned that COVID-19 has created many obstacles for him to preserve his efficiency ranges.
No intensive coaching and aggressive tournaments have blunted his expertise. In the meantime, his feeling is, for now, not as sharp as vital for a sport the place time is a necessary ingredient. Every match lasts solely 9 minutes, not together with two minutes of break.
“We could practise properly, however no competitors means we will’t understand how our skills are. Generally our matches are not so good as in coaching, and we can not compete as anticipated,” An mentioned.
His absence from worldwide tournaments has even pushed him out of the main group in Asia.
Fencer Vũ Thành An feels stress however expects a robust push on the thirty first SEA Video games on residence turf. — VNA/VNS Picture
An was Asian No 3 and was stuffed with hope to seize his second Olympic berth in Tokyo final July. Nonetheless, he couldn’t discover the flights to compete within the {qualifications} and his probability was misplaced. To make issues worse, his rating dropped to No 12 in Asia.
Within the upcoming Video games, the 30-year-old must fence towards highly effective rivals, together with Srinualnad Voragun of Thailand who, not like the Vietnamese, has loved a number of tournaments and coaching camps in world fencing hubs over the final two years.
“My predominant rival will likely be Voragun. He’s solely 23 however has proven his expertise because the 2017 Video games 5 years in the past,” mentioned An, who has pocketed a complete of 5 golds in three SEA Video games.
“So far as I do know, he has participated in lots of occasions overseas within the final two years. Not too long ago, he travelled to Hungary and competed within the World Cup.”
The Singaporean athletes additionally kind a robust group. They changed Việt Nam within the general main place of fencing within the earlier Video games.
Though they’ve not touched An’s throne but, three years have handed and issues have modified rather a lot.
“Singapore is residence to younger skills who’ve grabbed excessive outcomes. They work underneath high quality coaches and obtain robust assist. They simply returned residence from a coaching journey to Italy, France and South Korea,” mentioned An.
“My rivals have ready very rigorously with full assist from the gear and diet to competitors. I do know that it will likely be robust, however I’ll overcome our difficulties by working more durable. I’ve about three weeks to succeed in my finest. It is the one approach if I wish to win.”
Fencer Vũ Thành An (proper) practises with a teammate in preparation for the thirty first SEA Video games the place he’s aiming for 2 golds. — VNA/VNS Picture
The champion, nonetheless, has large assist from household and mates, which he mentioned introduced a bit stress however robust encouragement, the likes of which he has by no means had earlier than.
“Preventing for No 1 isn’t simple. Preventing to take care of No 1 is even harder. We practise onerous for 2 or three years and solely have half a day to grow to be a champion. The stress is apparent, nervousness is unavoidable, and there may be a bit fear. However above all, I’m assured of defending my titles,” An mentioned. VNS
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