Tiếng ViệtFueled by his passion and enthusiasm for Vovinam, Nguyen Minh Khoi (holder of the Chuẩn Hồng Đai rank) has spearheaded the development of this martial art among the youth in Tân Châu town. Over the past five years, numerous Vovinam clubs have been established in this “land of silk,” affirming his role in nurturing talent, fostering passion, and promoting martial arts in the local community.
A Passion for Traditional Martial Arts
Nguyen Minh Khoi shared that after graduating from high school in 2006, he was accepted into the Biology Education program at An Giang University. Between 2006 and 2010, Khoi trained in Vovinam and competed in tournaments at both provincial and regional levels. Notable achievements include one gold and one silver medal at the 2010 An Giang Provincial Sports Festival, and two silver medals in dual and quadruple kicking techniques at the 2019 Mekong Delta Region Championship.
Speaking about his introduction to martial arts, Khoi said that during his university years, he had the chance to experience both Vovinam and Taekwondo. After learning more, he found Vovinam to be a traditional Vietnamese martial art that embodies national spirit and offers both physical and mental development. This realization led him to commit wholeheartedly to the discipline.
“Through practicing Vovinam, I hope to help preserve the beauty of Vietnamese martial arts and to spread the spirit of patriotism, unity, and resilience of the Vietnamese people,” Khoi shared.
More and more young people and teenagers in Tan Chau Town are growing to love Vovinam martial arts.
Nurturing Passion
After graduating, Khoi brought his ambition to promote Vovinam back to his hometown of Tân Châu. Martial arts classes were successively launched at Long An Secondary School and Nguyen Quang Dieu High School. Around March 2025, he also opened a class at the Tân Châu Children’s Center, with training sessions held at 6:00 PM every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Khoi noted that many people, especially young individuals, enrolled in Vovinam to learn about traditional culture and improve themselves. However, establishing classes came with many challenges, including competition from other martial arts clubs in the area, as well as a lack of proper facilities and equipment, which limited student enrollment.
“Despite the difficulties, this has been a valuable opportunity for me to learn and improve as an instructor. Seeing the progress and growth of my students is the motivation that keeps me going,” Khoi added.
Thanks to the persistent efforts of both teacher and students, many achievements have been made. Khoi’s students have seen success in local and regional competitions, including second place overall at the 2019 Tân Châu Vovinam Club Championship. At the 2024 Tri Tôn District Vovinam Youth Championship, five of Khoi’s students competed in seven events, winning five gold medals and one silver. In the 2025 An Giang Provincial Vovinam Youth Championship, four of his students entered seven events and took home two golds, one silver, and two bronze medals.
Student Vo Van Duc Em, who has practiced Vovinam for five years, said: “This martial art is very practical and can be applied in difficult situations. I’ve won many medals at various tournaments, and I feel very happy and proud.”
In addition to improving the quality of his teaching, Khoi also organizes Vovinam demonstrations to promote the martial art during local festivals, ceremonies, and events. In the future, he plans to expand his classes so more people can access this traditional Vietnamese discipline. He is also actively promoting Vovinam through media and cultural events, aiming to help the public better understand its spiritual value and the benefits of martial arts training.
— According to Đức Toàn, An Giang Newspaper