After seven years practicing swimming, Hoang Quy Phuoc, 17, from the central city of Da Nang, has become the first Vietnamese swimmer to secure a spot to the 2012 London Olympics.

Returning to Vietnam on May 17, Da Nang’s swimming coach Nguyen Dong Hai, who trained Phuoc, said that he was not surprised at Phuoc’s record at the Malaysia Open, which helped him clinch a spot to the upcoming Olympics.

Hai said that since 2008, Phuoc’s records have made steady progress. At the National Swimming Championship 2008, he won a bronze medal for men’s 100m butterfly with 57 seconds. One year later, Phuoc also won a bronze medal at the Southeast Asian Games 2009, but the time was only 55.8 seconds.

At the Youth Olympic 2010 in Singapore, Phuoc’s record was 54.71 seconds. At the recent Malaysia Open, the time reduced to 53.56 seconds while to participate in the Olympic 2012, swimmers must score 54.19 seconds.

Many swimmers from Uzbekistan, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam competed at the Malaysia Open Swimming Tournament 2011 for the same goal: securing a spot to Olympic 2012. However, only Quy Phuoc achieved the goal. He won the gold medal and a ticket to the Olympics. This is also a national record of Vietnam for men’s 100m butterfly.

The gold medal winner at the SEA Games 2009, passed 100m with a time of 53.83 seconds. Experts believe that if Quy Phuoc is trained well, he would be a new talent.

Phuoc, nearly 18, is 1.80m tall and his full span is up to 1.90m.

Phuoc will go to China on May 20, for a training course to prepare for upcoming events. He will attend the Southeast Asian Youth Championships in June, the World Championship in China in July, the national championship in September and the SEA Games in November in Indonesia.

Phuoc was discovered by coach Phan Thanh Toai in 2004, when he followed a swimming competition at a primary school to choose young talents. At that time, Phuoc was in the audience and he did not know even fundamental swimming techniques. The coach chose Phuoc for his stature that is appropriate for swimming.

After four months practicing swimming, Phuoc took part in the Phu Dong National Sports and Physical Training Games and did not win any medal. One year later, he won the first medal. He made a national record for men’s freestyle in 2008, at the age of 15.

The General Department of Sports and Physical Training highly appreciates Phuoc’s achievement and considers Phuoc as a talent that needs special investment.

Le Nguyen Hong, deputy director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang City, cum Vice chair of the Vietnam Aquatic Sports Association, said that Da Nang would adequately reward Phuoc.

PV