Wushu

Đinh Văn Tâm poses with his Asian Games silver medal. Photo courtesy of SAV

Thanh Hà

HÀ NỘI Leaving his mountainous village in Quảng Ngãi Province to train in martial arts in Đà Nẵng City, Đinh Văn Tâm had no idea that the move would be a turning point in his life, transforming a boy seemingly destined to become a farmer into one of Việt Nam’s most promising wushu fighters.

Nine years on from that day, Tâm has taken part in tournaments at all levels, from domestic junior events to the World Cup, where he has made his mark and shown the potential for greater achievements.

Tâm's road to the recent 20th Asian Games in Japan was also considered a fairytale, as he nearly won Việt Nam's first gold medal in the wushu sanda competition at the continental multi-sport event, despite injuries to both knees.

Tâm was introduced to wushu's sanda (combat discipline) at the age of 12 in 2017, when his brother brought him to the provincial sports centre. He immediately caught the attention of national coach Phạm Quốc Anh, who later recruited him to his team in Đà Nẵng, more than 150km from his home.

Đinh Văn Tâm (right) competes with both knees bandaged in the final of the men's 56kg category at the 20th Asian Games in September. — Photo courtesy of SAV

It was the furthest the boy from the Hrê ethnic minority group had travelled in his life. Surrounded by unfamiliar people and adjusting to a new environment, Tâm struggled to adapt while continuing to train hard every day.

A year later, all his hard work paid off when he claimed a gold medal at the 2018 National Youth Wushu Championship.

“It came only one year after my first day of training. I was really surprised at myself. I didn't believe that I could reach the top of the podium in my first national-level tournament," Tâm said.

It was the sweet beginning of a career that would see him dominate youth events for the next four years. He also won gold at the Asian Youth Championships in 2019 and bronze at the World Youth Championships in 2022.

These successes provided a strong foundation for him to continue winning in senior categories. Competing in the 52kg category, the 17-year-old won one of the nation's most prestigious titles at the National Sports Games in 2022. He took bronze at the World Championships and gold at the Asian Championships a year later.

His two consecutive gold medals at the Sanda World Cup in 2025 and 2026 not only established him as a world-class fighter, but also raised expectations for his performance at the Asian Games in September.

"I have to practise hard every day. Six hours a day under strict discipline and with a heavy training load are really exhausting, and I face a high risk of injury," Tâm said.

"However, losing weight is the real nightmare to me. Given my heavy build, which makes losing weight particularly difficult, it requires immense determination to meet the weight targets ahead of every tournament.”

A mark at the Games

Coach Anh was pleased with his talented fighter, who possesses natural agility, a strong physical foundation and quick reflexes. He said that perseverance, the ability to endure hardship and steadfast determination had transformed Tâm, once a quiet and shy boy, into a tough, muscular and formidable fighter in the ring.

"He has an exceptional ability to grasp competitive techniques quickly. He even creates his own unique techniques that few others could replicate," Anh said.

Both coaches and experts regard him as a fighter with a well-rounded skill set, excelling in both offence and defence.

“Tâm may appear shy, but once he steps into the ring, he becomes incredibly composed and intelligent. Sometimes, he manages to devise a winning strategy on his own even before we can provide any instructions,” he said.

Đinh Văn Tâm (left) is tipped for further success in the future. — Photo courtesy of SAV

National head coach Phan Quốc Vinh also believes that Tâm is the best sanda fighter Việt Nam has ever had.

"It has been a long time since we’ve seen an athlete as well-rounded as Tâm. He excels in everything from physique to technique, and he employs a smart fighting style," said Vinh, who was a top sanda fighter in the early 2000s.

As the reigning World Cup champion, Tâm headed to Japan to seek Việt Nam's first gold medal in Asian Games sanda history. He advanced comfortably to the final, where he met Ou Jiaming of China, whom he had defeated in the World Cup's quarter-finals.

However, Tâm suffered a recurrence of his knee injuries and couldn't make his dream come true.

"To beat the Chinese athlete, I had to wrestle him to the ground. Grappling technique was important, but mine wasn't quite up to par because both my legs were in pain, especially my left one," said Tâm.

Đinh Văn Tâm (left) and the other medallists in the men's 56kg category at the 20th Asian Games. — Photo courtesy of SAV

"I beat him once before, but I couldn't manage to do it again. I was very sad despite giving it my all, because the result was not what I had hoped for."

Coach Vinh said that if Tâm had been in peak physical condition, he likely would have won the gold medal. An unfortunate injury caused that golden opportunity to slip away, but his talent, composure and competitive spirit were appreciated.

Although he did not secure the gold, Tâm’s silver marked a historic milestone for Vietnamese wushu. It was the first silver of the Việt Nam delegation at the 2026 Asian Games and ended a 20-year medal drought in men's sanda.

"At 21, Tâm still has a long career ahead of him, and I believe the Asian Games will serve as a milestone that helps him mature and advance further in his career," Vinh said. — VNS