The ageless of Binh Duong pétanque team

Despite his 50, athlete Tang Van Danh, aka Muoi Danh, is still practicing and competing for the Binh Duong pétanque team. For generations of young athletes, Muoi Danh is an example on the pathway to a professional player.

Knowing pétanque by chance on visiting the field near his home, enjoying the pitches of the seniors and the sound of the hitting balls, Tang Van Danh practiced and gradually became a professional player. “Sometimes we do not know in advance what we will choose and love in life. It's all a coincidence," said Muon Danh on talking about the years he has spent with pétanque throughout the courts in Binh Duong and the whole country.

Pétanque athlete Tang Van Danh diligently practice and compete for the Binh Duong team

For Tang Van Danh, memories good or bad are there during the process of following pétanque. However the best memory for him was the moment when he saw the Binh Duong women's pétanque team win the gold medal at the 2022 National Sports Festival. At the time, although he did not directly compete, he witnessed the young athletes of the team overcome hard time to defeat the Tra Vinh team at a decisive score, he himself was as passionate as he was competing in the team. "At that time, I just reminded them that they needed to be calm, just one successful throw and we had the gold," which was Danh's encouragement that helped the home team win a breathtaking 13-12 to officially take the gold medal of the women's trio.

At the 2022 National Sports Festival, among the 3 gold medals achieved by the Binh Duong team, Tang Van Danh contributed a gold medal in a 13-7 victory over Military Region 9 team in the men's doubles event in which he competed with teammate Vo Duy Khanh. Few people know that Muoi Danh is the oldest athlete at the 2022 National Sports Festival to win the prestigious gold medal in pétanque.

The age of 50 is favorable for a high level of professional competition in a long time. However, the next generation of athletes for the Binh Duong pétanque team is deficit, Danh still works hard to practice and compete for the home team. In addition, he and coach Vu Khang Duy are still working hard throughout the province, even going to the snooker courts to look for new talents and add up to the provincial team. The goal of Danh and the whole team is towards the future that the Binh Duong team would have a full force participating in the competition at the national tournaments and the National Sports Festival.

“I was the first, so when I was about to retire, I still wish to do something meaningful for the home team. What I and Duy wish for is to find an abundant successor force for the Binh Duong team. To do so, we are forced to have quality base aptitude points. At the same time, it also takes a lot of hands to work together to build up the movement of playing pétanque in Binh Duong," said Tang Van Danh in a rather concerned voice.

Reported by Thai Hai – Translated by Vi Bao