Anh’s four-year course to learn how to shoot the air pistol paid off when she was recruited by the national youth shooting team earlier this month.

She is one of the top eight youngsters from Hai Duong shooting club and has gained admission to the national training programme.

She marked her best achievement last year when she won gold and bronze medals for the women’s air pistol team in the National Youth Championship.

“It’s my best ever result after three years training at the club. Shooting has been a favourite sport of my family that we inherited from my grandfather, who is a shooting coach,” said Vu Thi Ngoc Anh.

“My parents weren’t interested, but my older sisters and I followed in our grandfather and uncle’s footsteps. I love the sport and want to be a coach in the future.”

“Anh is one of the top juniors at the club. She often scores 360 points from 40 shots in training - the best personal record for a junior,” said head of shooting club Nguyen Van Tai.

The club is now home to 66 shooters, of which 13 are members of the national senior and junior teams.

However, the athletes have rarely trained or competed abroad due to a lack of funds.

“Shooting is not an exciting sport like football or volleyball, so, it’s hard to promote via the media – that’s the main reason it is struggling to attract sponsorship.”

Although the city has a dozens of prosperous enterprises, shooting has not received one penny in sponsorship,” Tai explained.

The club still relies on State funding with VND 1.1 billion (US$ 58,000) for training and competitions around the year; which half of these funds go to ammunition and facilities.

But the shooters have overcome these obstacles to take prizes in numerous world championships.

The club has provided the national team with sharpshooters since it was established in 1961.

Nguyen Duc Uynh set a milestone at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Malaysia 1989 when he became the first Vietnamese shooter to win a gold medal in the men’s quick-fire pistol.

Local shooters then triumphed at the SEA Games.

Four years ago, Nguyen Van Tung won a bronze medal in the men’s rifle at the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.

The club’s athletes Tran Quoc Cuong and Pham Thi Ha recorded the best ever result in Vietnamese shooting history at the World Cup in April when they finished among the world’s top ten.

Cuong ranked fourth in the men’s pistol and Ha placed ninth in the women’s.

“It’s the best ever result for Vietnamese shooters in the world championships. The two best shooters were nurtured at the Hai Duong shooting club,” said the national team coach Nguyen Thi Nhung.

“The club has provided the national team top form shooters for major event for over two decades,” Nhung says.

“We have endeavoured to scout out and train elite athletes from village shooting clubs in Thanh Ha and Gia Loc districts, which are well-known for producing some of the city’s best shooters,” said the head of club.

Anh dreams of beating her uncle Tran Quoc Cuong’s results in the World Cup.

“My uncle Cuong is my idol. I’ll try my best to beat his record someday and I believe I can do it.” Anh said.

Source: VNA