Having a relationship with Taekwondo

"As girls, before and after having a family, we should never "pack up" our dreams", that is the heartfelt sharing of the person often called "the golden apricot blossom" of Hanoi City Police.

She is Major Pham Thanh Mai - the only female officer in the top 10 outstanding and typical young faces of the Capital Police to be honored.

When meeting Ms. Mai for the first time, no one would have thought that she had martial arts "blood" inside her. On the other hand, she is also known as the "golden apricot blossom" of the Hanoi City Police, meaning like a graceful apricot blossom but full of energy and enthusiasm.

That was also the first description of Major Mai, when she stepped onto the stage, receiving the result of a decade of waiting, effort, and striving with a will of steel - the title "Outstanding, typical young face of the Capital Police".

Recalling her childhood, born and raised in a family with a father who was a martial arts teacher, Mai revealed rare abilities and acumen, also known as physical "qualities".

Graduating from People's Police College I with a good degree, Ms. Mai was assigned to work at Thanh Cong Ward Police, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, as a Regional Police Officer.

After that, Ms. Mai received an invitation to join the delegation of the Capital Police Youth Union to participate in the 2012 Ministry of Public Security Youth Union Competition and the 2012 Ministry of Public Security Sports Festival, and then continuously won gold medals at the congresses and sports festivals of the Ministry of Public Security.

And from those competitions, Ms. Mai naturally fell in love with Taekwondo. Ms. Mai jokingly said: "That was a cosmic signal."

Up to now, Ms. Mai has won 3 Gold Medals and 1 Silver Medal at the 2024 Asian Police Taekwondo Open Championship, contributing to the overall achievement of the Vietnam Police Sports Delegation at this regional international tournament.

"Never pack your dreams"

Compared to men, women are often physically weaker, but the training intensity is the same, so Ms. Mai has to maintain better endurance to keep up with the progress. When competing, a small body can be a disadvantage, but in return, she is more agile, light and flexible than her male teammates.

"However, raising children forced me to stop exercising for 1-2 years, and my health was not as good as before. However, as girls and women, we should never "pack up" our dreams. Although there will be periods of "rest" for women such as giving birth and taking care of the family, we should always nurture our dreams and then enjoy the sweetness after a journey," said Ms. Mai.

Due to the nature of her work, outside of office hours is when Ms. Mai participates in training and prepares cultural, artistic and sports programs of the City Police Department.

For Mai and those who practice this sport, injuries are inevitable. Mai said that sprains and bruises on the limbs after each training session are completely normal. But the important thing is to practice the right technique, listen to your body and know when to stop. If you push yourself too hard, the injury can become more serious.

Sometimes, after a match, while practicing with her teammates, Mai suddenly realized that the skin on her feet was blistered and peeling. Being knocked down, injured, and having bruises on her arms and legs were also common.

Mai has had problems with her shoulders and knees, and the injuries have persisted over time, but that is also an inevitable part of the training path. According to the Major, the important thing is to learn how to adapt and adjust to continue to progress without harming the body in the long run.

Although her strength is in fighting, when participating in training and competing in martial arts, Ms. Mai always changes her thinking, knows how to lower her ego to listen to her teammates, and tries to do the best with her teammates.

In real life, Ms. Mai is more confident, knows how to protect herself and is ready to stand up for the weak. "17 years of training have given me a strong will, helping me understand that, whether a wife or a mother, every woman deserves to be respected and constantly develop. Live and give your all, so that later you won't have to regret the two words "if only", Ms. Mai said.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/cu-ra-don-thep-cua-bong-mai-vang-cong-an-thu-do-post1725326.tpo