Bau Hien awarded more than 1 billion VND for SEA Games table tennis gold medal

Tran Mai Ngoc - Dinh Anh Hoang caused an earthquake at the 32nd SEA Games table tennis when defeating powerhouse Singapore 3-1 in the final of mixed doubles on May 14. This repeats the feat of the duo Vu Manh Cuong and Ngo Thu Thuy in Indonesia in 1997.

Both belong to the Hanoi T&T table tennis club owned by Hien. In the honor ceremony today, May 19, Mai Ngoc and Anh Hoang received VND 500 million, while the coach and coaching staff of the Vietnamese table tennis team and Hanoi T&T table tennis club received VND 500 million. Athlete Le Dinh Duc also received VND 50 million for the achievement of winning a bronze medal in the men's team.

Bau Hien said: "You are young, but you have entered the history of Vietnamese table tennis. On behalf of the country's table tennis lovers, I would like to congratulate and thank you." He also advised athletes not to be satisfied, not to have star disease and to strive for the continent. The owner of Hanoi club said he is willing to invest in athletes to go abroad to train and improve their achievements.

Mai Ngoc, born in 2004, in Binh Duong, has three sisters in her family, orphaned father, and mother is a worker. She was discovered by coach Vu Manh Cuong, and brought to Hanoi at the age of 9. "This is the largest amount of money I have earned in my life. I will set up a savings book to support my family, then save up later to open a center," Mai Ngoc shared with MetaSports. "In the past, when I was a kid, I cried because I was homesick. But then I overcame because I thought I had to earn money to support my family."

Mai Ngoc said that before the 32nd SEA Games, she was bored with practice. After taking a day off from practice and lying at home thinking, she realized that she couldn't give up and had to work hard for her family. "When I go to the SEA Games, I don't think there will be a gold medal, but I just know how to try each match. The stronger the opponent, the more I like it," Ngoc said.

Mai Ngoc said her mother is still a worker in Binh Duong, her sister and twin sister are also there. Due to competition, sometimes Mai Ngoc has time to visit home.

Mai Ngoc said that in her success, there is a great merit of coach Vu Manh Cuong - the legend of Vietnamese table tennis.