The coach Tran Dai Nghia and the athletes were practicing before the official competition day of the terrain cycling event at SEA Games 32.
Hoa Binh province was honored to have coach Tran Dai Nghia and 2 athletes, Dinh Van Linh, Bui Van Nhat participating in the competition in the terrain cycling event. Launching with the experienced cyclists in good form, who successfully competed in the 31st SEA Games including Dinh Thi Nhu Quynh, Dinh Van Linh, Nguyen Van Lam, Bui Van Nhat, Quang Thi Soan..., Vietnamese terrain cycling was expected to reap many medals at this congress.
However, after 3 days of intense and dramatic competition, Vietnamese terrain cycling team was empty-handed at the 32nd SEA Games. This means that the team did not complete the previously set achievement target of 1 gold medal. In the men's cross-country cycling event, the provincial rider Dinh Van Linh competed in the 500m timed individual qualifying round and was evaluated to compete under his own strength, and Linh was ranked 14 out of the 14 participating racers. In the quarter-final run of 4 cyclist to choose 2 ones to the semi-finals, Dinh Van Linh continued to rank at the bottom of the table (4/4) in the last quarter-final run.
For the men's and women's cross-country relay, Dinh Van Linh and his teammates, Quang Thi Soan, Bui Van Nhat, and Dinh Thi Nhu Quynh could not achieve the desired results. Similarly, the athlete Bui Van Nhat, who competed in the men's Olympic cross-country event, also achieved the bad result.
During training and competition, the coach Tran Dai Nghia was the teacher and he always accompanied two provincial cyclists to attend the 32nd SEA Games. According to him, both athletes, Dinh Van Linh and Bui Van Nhat, tried to compete very well, however, it was necessary to admit the fact that our cyclists had some limitations compared to their opponents, so they could not win the competition. After this match, the coaching staff realized many factors that needed overcoming and it was important to set out a more appropriate and effective training direction.
As a race of the best athletes from Southeast Asian countries, besides, the athletes did not have time to adapt to the fierce hot weather in Cambodia, the route of the competition was different from the road in the training race in Hoa Binh, the starting order was unfavorable, some key cyclists were injured during the preparation process, so they couldn't reach their best performance..., which were the reasons why our country’s team of terrain cycling did not achieve the expected results. However, the riders all devoted themselves and played their best for the national flag and colors. Being rubbed with the strong opponents was an opportunity for the cyclists to re-evaluate their abilities and qualifications at the level of Southeast Asia, thereby it helped them accumulate experience, improve the expertise, techniques, and train the bravery, will, self-improvement towards the higher goals in the future.
Being one of the two athletes from Hoa Binh province participating in the 32nd SEA Games, the athlete Bui Van Nhat competed in two events of terrain cycling, the men's Olympic cross-country and the men's and women's cross-country relay. "This is my second time I have attended the SEA Games. At the last Southeast Asian Games, I set a goal for myself to try my best and determined to win the highest achievement. However, it's regretful that my teammates and I could not defend the silver medal and bring glory to the homeland and the country. This defeat also reminds me that I need to work harder to practice more to overcome my own limits, making a strong breakthrough in the next congresses”, said the athlete Bui Van Nhat.
Believing that with valuable experiences at the 32nd SEA Games, the coaches and the athletes of the terrain cycling event world continue trying to conquer the peak of glory, regardless of fans' expectations.