Wushu 

Thanh Hà

Stepping down from the podium, Nguyễn Khắc Lê Hoàng rushed to a quiet corner to call home, eager to share his joy and pride with his family.

The 18-year-old athlete secured a historic silver medal for Việt Nam in the wushu taolu (performance) event at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, earlier this month, marking the nation's first-ever medal in the competition's history.

Proving himself as a rising star in Vietnamese martial arts, Hoàng has signalled a bright future with many more achievements ahead.

"I won the first medal for Việt Nam in this Olympics. I was so happy that I wanted to tell my mother first," said Hoàng.

 

Hoàng advanced to the men's combined taijiquan and taijishan final after finishing fourth in the qualification round. He scored 9.346 points for each performance and finished second with 18.692 points.

Việt Nam was awarded one wushu slot at the Youth Olympics in August, and it was given to Hoàng, a rising star in taijiquan who had already achieved remarkable international success in 2026. Having about three months to prepare for his first-ever Youth Olympics, Hoàng trained intensively.

Mastering the art

Taijiquan, a mind-body practice, is rooted in the laws of nature, demonstrating the principles of yin and yang cycles for health and well-being. Participants must demonstrate precise postures, uninterrupted flow and strong spirit while strictly avoiding technical deductions. While performing, competitors must ensure movement quality, power and harmony, and overall spirit and rhythm.

Meanwhile, taijishan combines the graceful movements of taiji with the elegance and symbolism of the fan.

Hoàng was asked to make his performance a blend of the slow, meditative flow of traditional empty-hand taiji with crisp, purposeful weapon techniques and the sharp, rhythmic snap of an opening fan.

During the performance, the fan should never move independently. Every circle, thrust, block and flick integrates the entire body into a single, cohesive unit. 

"It is about maintaining the balance of slow, flowing, silent transitions and sharp, crisp moments where the fan snaps open with a flick of the wrist," said Hoàng. 

"The core of the competition goes beyond just strength or flexibility; it lies in the ability to control one's mindset too. I have to train myself to remain calm when facing pressure."

 

Beyond just memorising the sequence of a routine, Hoàng had to fine-tune every single detail so that the movements became second nature.

"While the repetitive drills can sometimes get a bit tedious, they are essential for perfecting technique and building a solid foundation, so I keep pushing forward," he said.

Hoàng added that the Youth Olympics silver was a sweet result after much hard work, and it helped him cast aside doubts about his own limitations.

Rising talent

Coach Trịnh Thu Hòa was proud of her athlete, saying he deserved the silver after spending time, labour and effort.

"Hoàng possesses all the qualities of a top-tier martial artist: he is hardworking, sharp and skilful. Beyond his striking presence in the arena, he carries himself with a calm, gentle yet keen demeanour, perfectly embodying the principle of "movement within stillness and stillness within movement" that is characteristic of taiji," said Hòa.

Hoàng was introduced to wushu at a young age, when his mother, Lê Thị Quỹ, was a coach at Phú Thọ Province's Sports Centre.

He officially began training in wushu at age nine and received strong support from his family. His ability quickly caught the attention of national scouts, who picked him for the national junior team and then the senior team.

In 2024, Hoàng secured two gold medals at the World Taijiquan Championship in Singapore. A year later, he brought home gold medals from the Asian Youth Wushu Championship. This year, he topped both the World Youth Wushu Championship and World Taijiquan Championship.

He has also been awarded three Labour Orders.

After Dakar, Hoàng's next target will be the 2026 National Sports Games.

"The silver is a historic success for Việt Nam and I am really proud of it. It is a strong motivation for me to strive for higher goals, bringing further achievements to Vietnamese wushu," Hoàng said. VNS