Tran Le Quoc Toan Profile

Reader Minh, who already translated the Kim Tuan Thach Pofile, did it again. This time he translated a show with Vietnam’s other top 56kg lifter – Tran Le Quoc Toan.

Jump to the Translation below.

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Translation

Title of the show is : A star with dreams

0:20: MC: welcome to our show. Today, we will meet a young 20 year old athlete

0:34: (clip of Toan doing accessory lifts)

0:43 Toan: Hello, my name is Tran Le Quoc Toan. I am a national level weightlifter, and my best achievement is winning goal in SEA Games.

Weightlifting is my passion, and I am glad to be on the show

1:10 MC: please welcome Tran Le Quoc Toan (then she went on and asked for volunteers to come up and try lifting the barbell, so 2 skinny dudes volunteered and introduced themselves)

2:32 MC: Toan, show us what we can do with the barbell. (he proceed to show a muscle snatch)

MC: what’s the heaviest you can lift?

Toan: 167kg ([minh] I assume this is his CnJ PR [/minh]

MC: how long have you been involved in weightlifting?

Toan: near 8 years

MC: when you started, how much did you lift?

Toan: 7kg

MC: let’s see how Toan went from 7kg to 167kg in 8 years

3:18: Narrator: Tran Le Quoc Toan, our number 1 weightliftinger. Born in Da Nang, he came to weightlifting at 14 years old. He overcame many challenges life had for him, with his passion for weightlifting. His achievements include: national youth championship from 2006-2009, national weightlifting champion 2009 at 56kg, national university game champion 2010, national weightlifting champion 2012, SEA Game 26 champion with 280kg total, 4th at London 2012.

4:03: MC: let’s get to know our 20-year-old athlete. Our interview will begin with the beginning of Toan’s weightlifting career. You started with 7kg, why so little?

Toan: in the beginning, there’s a stronger emphasis on technique, not strength.

MC: maybe since all we see athletes being concerned about the weight lifted, but not the behind-the-scene in training. Can you let us know, with 7kg, what are the things required from the athlete with regards to technique?

Toan: when I started, I only trained the first pull. My back must be tight, strong and I must stand up straight.

MC then asks the two volunteers to give it a try. You guys should watch them struggle for the LOLZ. The taller one is 183cm , and Toan is 150cm. MC notes that his height probably is a disadvantage when it comes to weightlifting.

Toan keeps telling them to both keep their back straight.

MC: how long did you do this?

Toan: after 1 month, I was able to perform the first pull with my back tight, strong and straight.

MC: so in weightlifting, precision must be really important?

Toan: precision in good technique is a must if an athlete wants to lift big

MC: So what’s after 7kg?

Toan: 12kg, then 2.5kg to 5kg increments

MC: so when do you start going overhead?

Toan: after first pulls are perfect

MC: what’s after the pull?

Toan: turnover [minh]I think that’s what he meant #rustyvietnamese[/minh]

MC: can you show us?

6:50 Toan demonstrates a hang muscle snatch

MC: how long did you have to practice the turnover?

Toan: only a few days

MC: How much can an average person lift?

Toan: 40kg

MC then asks the 2 volunteers if they can lift 40kg

7:30: first dude did a 40kg hang clean and jerk, and said it was a tough effort, took everything in him. Upon being asked, Toan said for an untrained person, this is good

7:54 second dude’s turn [minh]totally LOLZ worthy [/minh]

MC: how were our “athletes” performances?

Toan: very good [minh]TROLOLOL [/minh]

MC: how was their technique?

Toan: horrible

MC: (laughing) Why?

Toan: Athletes without strong fundamentals cannot lift very efficiently. This takes a long time and a great deal of effort.

MC: can you show us how you lift 40kg?

8:53: Toan demonstrates 40kg clean and press

9:15: MC: how fast was your progress compared to others?

Toan: what others can do in 6 months, 1 year, I can do that in 4 months

MC: why was your progress so fast?

Toan: My family situation was tough, and I have a strong will.

MC: how was your training different from others?

I must progress fast so I can earn money for my familyToan: if a weightlifter’s life is stable, he sees weightlifting as a hobby. For me, weightlifting is a career, so I must progress fast so I can earn money for my family.

10:00 MC: let’s go over some of your competitions. In the National Youth Championship 2005, how long have you been in weightlifting?

Toan: 7 months

MC: what does this competition mean to you?

Toan: it was a turning point for my weightlifting career. At first, my coach only planned for this competition to be an experience for me, he didn’t expect me to medal.

MC: what did you lift?

Toan: 80/100

MC: 80/100 after 7 months of practice!!!! How long would it take an average athlete?

Toan: I think approximately 2 years

MC: what did your coach expect?

Toan: honestly, he only saw this competition as a chance for me to know competition, to deal with stage fright. I was clueless. I didn’t know how a competition was run, I just remember trying my best.

MC: what were your best lifts in training at the time?

Toan: 77/97

MC: but in the competition, you lifted 3kg more each lift, how did you do that?

Toan: I had no idea. Once I stepped on the platform, I just did all I could.

MC: how was your feeling after getting the gold medal?

Toan: elated, like i was floating on clouds.

MC: let’s interview Toan’s coach about his training

11:55 Coach Phan Van Thien: Toan has always shown strong determination and competitive nature. His resiliency has always been strong. Despite injuries, Toan always practiced hard to finish the training program. To me, he’s a good athlete mentally and physically

12:25: Toan: That’s my coach from Da Nang, Phan Van Thien

MC: do you still train with him?

Toan: yes, whenever I visit Da Nang

MC: he talked about your injuries. How did they happen?

Toan explains the process of calluses forming and causing bleeding. He doesn’t use gloves, and could only use straps in training

MC: you first mentioned weightlifting for you is a career, a source of income. When would you say weightlifting is your passion?

Toan: when my techniques are perfect, and I attempt to break all 3 records

MC: let’s go over Toan’s progress

13:50: Narrator: at 14 years old, Toan signed up for weightlifting at 56kg. After 7 months, we won National Youth championship 2005. In his first 3 years, his PRs went up 10kg a year. In the years after, he increased 5kg. He won National Championship at 56 totalling 258kg. He won National University Sports Games 2010 totalling 261kg. He won SEA Games 26 in 2011 totalling 280kg. In London 2012, he came 4th, totalling 284kg.

15:00: MC: how did you feel every time you win a medal?

Toan: it’s a strong effort by my coaches and me.

MC: which medal most strongly signifies your effort and your coaches’?

Toan: When I won SEA Games 26 in 2011.

MC: what happened?

Toan: there was a lot of pressure, it was a stiff competition. Both I and the Indonesian athlete missed our 2nd lift. It added to the tension going into the 3rd attempt. In 1st attempt, he went 148, I went 149. 2nd attempt, he went 154 and I 153. We both missed. In his 3rd attempt, he made 154, so I had to make 155 to win. In training, I made 160. I was really nervous. But one I came onto the platform, my focus was strong, so I blocked out all the distraction.

After succeeding in the lift, I felt really happy, but had no energy left. I felt the support of my family, coaches and friends as I locked out the 155kg jerk

MC: that is significant. It’s also Vietnam’s first gold medal at 56kg at the South East Asian level [minh]wrong!!! Hoang Anh Tuan came 2nd at Beijing 2008 at 56kg [/minh]

Your PR was 160, so how come you only lifted in the mid 150s?

Toan: it was my coach’s strategy.

MC: before the competition, do you know your rivals’ PRs?

Toan: no.

MC: When do you know what they can lift?

Toan: when they are on the platform, and finish the lift

[minh]Toan went on to explain more about the competitions. I won’t translate this, since most of ATG’s readers are more than familiar with competition protocols [/minh]

20:00: shows highlight of Toan’s performance at SEA Games 26. It shows him snatching 125.

20:21: MC: What does this medal mean to Vietnam?

Toan: the Indonesian athlete has never been beaten in competition. So this is a good turning point for us Vietnamese athletes. I hope my performance inspire my fellow Vietnamese athletes to push even harder and win more internationally

MC: Toan’s training career has not always been smooth. Let’s go over a few of his setbacks

21:20: Mrs Le Thi Quynh Nga (Toan’s mother): in 2009, when he came home, all we could do was hug each other and cried. I was very sad, and worried.

Coach Thien: Toan’s mood at that time was down.

Tran Le Quoc Thanh (Toan’s younger brother): when Toan came home, he couldn’t do anything except resting on the bed. I could only tell him to try and get up to eat. Toan said “I am really disappointed in myself. We are poor and here I am useless, wasting even more money”.

22:00 MC: what happened to Toan?

Toan: I was injured in 2009, after 3 years of training. I was training at the national training facility.

MC: why were you returned to Da Nang?

Toan: at the time, I wasn’t performing well, and my injury made it worse. So they returned me back to my hometown [minh]that’s harsh, given that he just recently won national championship [/minh]

MC: what were your injuries?

Toan: shoulder, [minh]he explained more about his symptoms, but my medical vocabulary is limited [/minh]

MC: is that a typical injury?

Toan: usually weightlifters suffer more knee injuries.

MC: describe your situation, your feelings at that time?

Toan: I had no confidence, no hope when I thought about weightlifting. I was also embarassed, being returned from national training facility.

MC: what was your most depressing thought?

Toan: I just wanted to quit weightlifting altogether.

MC: What stopped you from quitting?

Toan: My family and friends were very encouraging and supportive to me. Also, Coach Thien made a training program focused on rehab exercises, muscle strengthening. It took me more than 1 year to recover and come back to training weightlifting.

MC: How long did that 1 year feel?

Toan: for a professional athlete, that 1 year felt like eternity, given that an athlete’s professional career is only 7-10 years long.

MC: when did you come back to national training facility?

Toan: late 2010

MC: if other athletes sustain this injury, would most quit?

Toan: yes, but usually they sustain injuries not as serious.

MC: let’s see what Toan’s coach has to say about this difficult time.

25:19 Coach Thien: during this time, after being returned back to Da Nang, Toan’s mood was depressed. His hope of contributing to Da Nang and Vietnam’s athletics was gone. But after his rehab period, Toan came back to training even more intensely and strived to get back the image of a tremendous athlete he once was.

27:16 MC: let’s hear from Toan’s families about his training.

27:20: Toan’s brother: when Toan started, it was tough for him, he said “brother, this is a trying period for me.

Toan’s Mother: everyday, he biked to Da Nang’s club, despite rough weather conditions. He skipped lunches during practices. When he came back from practice in the evening, he said “mom, I am really hungry”. That was when I realized that he was so into training, that he was willing to skip breakfast and lunches to commute to the club.

Toan’s brother: The staff said he must show up at 04:00 to practice together with the team. The club was 15km away from home, so that meant Toan had to get going at 03:30. We were poor, so the bike was in bad condition, it was slow. I felt bad for him, because he had to wake up early to go to work, so that our parents could have money for my education. I always feel emotionally moved by his dedication to our family.

28:28: MC: When you hear this interview, do you remember that time?

Toan: We were poor at the time. We didn’t have many things like the others. I woke up at around 03:00 to help my mom bring some stuff out to the market so that she could sell them. Then I biked to the club. At around 04:30, the team started warm ups and we ran around the club.

MC: what did your mom do?

Toan: she sold breakfast and lunch.

MC: other than your mom, is there anyone else in your family earning money?

Toan: 2 of my older brothers went into Ho Chi Minh city to find some labour work. My 2 younger siblings were still in school. I tried to spend as little as I could from the salary the club gave me, so I can send the money home.

MC: you stopped going to school?

Toan: yes, after 2 months of training and being told I had some talent.

MC: did your mother agree with you quitting school?

Toan: no, she wanted to to continue going to school. But I stopped because it would have been tough for my mom to come up with the money for me and my 2 younger siblings to go to school.

MC: how did you ask for her permission?

Toan: I asked many times. I said I am old enough to help making some money for the family.

MC: did you think you would be successful at first?

Toan: I didn’t think about that. I just trained as hard as I could. Successful or not, weightlifting would still be the career I chose

MC: what were you thinking during those 15km bike rides?

Toan: I thought about the exercises the coaches would prescribe, what the training volume, intensity would look like.

MC: how was your diet?

Toan: I wasn’t hungry at that time of the day

MC: do you get your nutrition taken care of at the club?

Toan: at that time I wasn’t on the city’s team yet, so my breakfast and lunch weren’t covered

MC: so how did you deal with that?

Toan: I skipped breakfast and lunch, biked home after AM practice and ate a bit. 1400 I woke up again and biked up there for PM practice. PM practice ended by 1700.

MC: before being selected for city’s team, did you have other jobs?

Toan: if that day only had AM practice, in the PM, I took up some labour jobs, carrying rice.

MC: how long until you were on the city’s team?

Toan: 2 months.

MC: and 5 months after you won the Youth Championship. let’s interview Toan’s family to see what they have to say about this period

31:30: Toan’s mother: His father’s wish was for him to achieve success, to bring medals home alone with some happiness . Those were his last words. Toan has always been quiet, never expresses himself vocally. He only replied “I will try my best”.

31:51: Toan’s brother: Every time Toan returned home, everyone here knew of his achievements. I even asked my school for some days off to hang out with him. The first thing he did was burning some incense and paid some respect to our father’s portrait.

Mother: then Toan said “Dad, these medals are dedicated to you. Before you passed away, this was your final wish, here are the medals”.

Brother: Toan also said to mom ” this is some money I saved from my salary. It’s the education fund for the two young ones in the family. I am not home to take care of them, help me take care of them. And Toan cried.

Mother: I hugged him and cried with him. That was some big money.

32:42 MC: When you won your first gold medal, how much money did you get?

Toan: 700,000VND ($32 US)

MC: and your mother thought it was some big amount. When did your father pass away?

Toan: 2 months before my competition.

MC: he was supportive of your weightlifting career?

Toan: correct.

MC: did you know the bad news?

Toan: it was Sunday morning, and I was in a training camp preparing for the National Youth Championship. I wasn’t allowed to leave the camp. I was sleeping, and coach woke me up, told me he would give me a ride home, my father had passed. I was shocked, I didn’t think it was true. Only when I came home, I knew it wasn’t a joke.

MC: many people experience a shock, affecting their performance if their closed ones pass away. How did you overcome this emotionally and performed next?

Toan: it was my father’s wish. I remembered one time, my father told my uncle “Toan can succeed at anything he puts his mind into. He will only stop when he succeeds. His will is strong”.

That was my thought to help me perform better.

MC: was your father sick for a long time before passing away?

Toan: yes, but he didn’t want to tell us, so we wouldn’t worry and spend money on his medication. Only when it was so bad, and he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

MC: how did you turn this tragic event into something positive?

Toan: I thought my father will always support me, every step of the way.

MC: now what are your plans, now that you achieve many great things and how many medals have you won?

Toan: my goal is to win Asian Championship. About medals, I’ve won too many I can’t count [minh]too bad he came 4th, totalling 283, Thach Kim Tuan 2nd at 294 and Om Yum Chol at 298 [/minh]

I planned on competing for a while, and right now I am taking my coaching certifications, so after my athletic career ends, I will become a coach.

MC: what do you think of Vietnam’s weightlifting?

Toan: we have many strong athletes that are capable to medalling at Asian and International level.

MC: lets wish him some success.

*36:25 Toan’s teammates and coaches take their turn wishing him success. They say he has always been a supportive member of the national team, and they are always behind him supporting him and his success.

Toan’s brother: I am always proud of you, my brother. My friends at school always commented on your talent, your fame. I tell them I am not proud because you are famous, but I am proud because you are a family man, always sacrificing yourself for your siblings. I wanna thank you for your hard work and sacrifices so that I could continue and successfully finish my education.

Mother: I wanna wish you happiness, health. I hope you are always confident and bring medals home for our country and for us