Former athlete Nguyen Thi Huyen, once a regional and continental gold medalist, shared her experience of having to start from scratch in her new career as a coach after retirement.
Nguyen Thi Huyen, a former track and field athlete from Vietnam, opened up about her journey during the “Reach the Peak” talk show, aired on VnExpress on October 8. In the 30-minute interview, the Nam Dinh-born athlete reflected on her athletic career, coaching experiences, and post-retirement life.
Huyen left a remarkable legacy with her impressive achievements, including winning gold in the 400m hurdles at the 2012 Asian Junior Athletics Championships and claiming two gold medals at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships in the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay. Over six SEA Games, she amassed a total of 13 gold medals. She officially retired in October 2023 after a 15-year career in elite sports.
Following her retirement, Huyen transitioned to a coaching role at her hometown’s Training and Competition Center. Despite her success as an athlete, Huyen admitted that coaching has been a completely different challenge, requiring her to relearn everything from the ground up.
“Coaching isn’t just about passing down experience from my competitive years. I’ve had to observe how seasoned coaches work, learning from them in all aspects – recruitment, training, and more,” Huyen shared. She emphasized that coaching young athletes is akin to caring for a child, requiring attention to both their daily routines and professional development.
Most of the athletes Huyen coaches are still very young, often recruited from school sports programs. Many of them are inexperienced and need guidance not only in their technical skills but also in their daily activities. “Sometimes, I have to demonstrate the techniques for them to understand. There were days when I would forget I was pregnant while demonstrating,” Huyen laughed.
She finds joy in this new role, stating that nurturing young talent reminds her of her early days on the national team. Reflecting on her time training under coach Vu Ngoc Loi, who supported her throughout her 15-year career, Huyen fondly remembered how he cared for her like a father, tending to her even when she was sick. “I’ve learned so much from him, and now I try to apply those lessons as a coach,” she said.
In addition to discussing her coaching journey, Huyen also reminisced about the highs and lows of her career. One of the standout moments was at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, where she won her first gold medal. However, the following year, in 2016, proved to be the most challenging of her career, as her performance declined. Huyen recalled hearing criticism that she was “past her prime.”
“Those criticisms made me reflect on myself and use them as motivation to keep fighting,” Huyen said. She returned stronger, capturing gold and breaking the national record in the 400m hurdles at the 2017 Asian Championships. Her competitive career ended on a high note with another gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.
Looking back on her decision to retire, Huyen said, “I think it was the right time to stop. I felt my health and physical condition declining.”
Now, Nguyen Thi Huyen’s life is more settled. She enjoys her new role as a coach and appreciates the support from her husband in taking care of their family. She emphasized that sports have given her everything – from a fulfilling career and family to financial stability.
Leave a Reply