Wrestling  

Thanh Hà

Cấn Tất Dự has just weeks left to prepare to defend his title in the men's wrestling 74kg category and aim for a record six consecutive SEA Games victories in a row.

The 33-year-old hails from Bùng Village in Thạch Thất Commune on the outskirts of Hà Nội, home to the famed Bùng Wrestling Festival.

The event, held over five days during the first month of the lunar year, features the best wrestlers from the village and surrounding areas, as well as famed competitors nationwide.

Growing up in such a special environment, Dự couldn't remain on the sidelines – he eagerly joined every year.

Under the training of his father, wrestler Cấn Tất Vinh, Dự learned every basic move and skill by heart.

When Dự was 14, Vinh, who worked as a scout and coach for Hà Nội's wrestling team, decided to let his son train professionally.

In 2011 at age 19, Dự was called up to the national team to compete in the 26th SEA Games in Indonesia. Despite it being his debut at the regional competition, Dự won a gold medal.

 "It was my first time and I was very young and inexperienced. I think it was the most difficult tournament for me. But luckily, I stormed into the final and beat the host rival for the title," said Dự, who has won 14 national championships.

He repeated his achievement at the SEA Games in 2013, 2019, 2022, and 2023. Among his victories, the latest one in Cambodia at SEA Games 32 was the most remarkable: Dự needed only 129 seconds to defeat his rival Lou Hong Yeow of Singapore in the final.

Taking on the match with full confidence of a reigning champion, Dự quickly reached a 5-0 score and continued attacking. Lou tried to wrestle back but his effort was not enough to overcome the dire situation.

The Vietnamese wrestler scored six more points and wrapped up the match with 1 minute 51 seconds left.

 

Chasing a sixth gold

"Tactics are always needed during every match. When wrestling, we have to use our brain to trick our opponent," said Dự. "You can't just jump into them and use force, because that doesn't always work."

According to his coaches, Dự and his teammates will face a major challenge defending their titles in the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand this December.

The hosts have cut the number of events to 12 for both men's and women's classes, leading to tougher competition. Many more naturalised wrestlers from other countries may also make it harder for Vietnamese athletes to secure top spots.

 

"Other countries have made remarkable progress," said coach Nguyễn Thế Anh.

"Thailand has been preparing their squad since the previous games to ensure the best outcome on home ground this year. Cambodia has two naturalised athletes from Iran, while Laos has a wrestler trained in the US for many years. They will definitely be big challenges for Việt Nam."

Still, the Vietnamese athletes are performing and training well ahead of the games. The squad includes the most experienced and most decorated stars, such as Dự, who aim to reach their peak and claim gold once more.

"I have won five SEA Games golds, and it will be my sixth time competing in this regional arena. I don't care much about records, focusing only on my competition. I just want to win, bringing home the prestigious medal," said Dự.

"I will have to try beyond my best because my rivals have improved greatly in recent years. I can't be subjective and underestimate any opponent." VNS