Tien Minh - The pride of Vietnam's badminton

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Minh's today success is the outcome of 18 years of hardship. Minh said his fate with badminton came from badminton games with his neighboring friends, in which Minh was always the winner.

From badminton games on the street, Minh was encouraged by his friends and family t take part in a badminton contest held in his district. The 19-0 defeat in the game against a player who was trained at the district's centre for gifted students urged Minh to practice more professionally. After a short time of being trained for free by a professional trainer, Minh met his rival again and this time he trounced that player 19-0. Minh's badminton career began when he was 18.

The young man's determination soon demonstrated its fruitful aspects, when Minh was recruited into the national team in the same year. However, Minh's career did not become well known nation-wide until 2002 when he, at the age of 19, victoriously defeated the long time national champion, Phu Cuong Nguyen, and seized the gold medal for the men single category.

After 18 years with badminton, Minh has won many prizes at local, regional and international tournaments. He now ranks seventh in the world ranking list. There is no doubt that the athlete will even further improve his ranking in the future.

Minh said success cannot be measured by titles. "Athletes never want to be defeated. Sometimes I really felt tired and wanted to give up badminton. But the passion for this sports is still burning inside me so I cannot give it up," he said.

Vietnam's top badminton player is a fan of hi-tech electronic devices. He is also keen on discovering traditional cuisines of Vietnam and other countries.