It was the only gold medal won by the Vietnamese team at this year’s tournament, which was held from November 12-18 in Budaors, Hungary.
Anh Thong, who is known as the ‘Big Ant’ of the Tay Do (Western Capital) area, had to redouble his efforts to win the title. He was forced to go on a crash diet in order to lose weight fast. Two days before the competition, he was still 2kg heavier than the weight class in which he had registered, so he had to abstain entirely from eating and drinking.
On top of his heavy training and miserable diet, the cold weather in Hungary made Anh Thong’s lips crack and bleed. “I was determined to win the championships, so when my lips were bleeding, I swallowed the blood and dared not drink any water”, said the bodybuilder.
Another challenge to the muscle man from Tay Do is that he competed in the same weight class with Pham Van Mach – a monumental figure in Vietnamese bodybuilding. With his impressive performance, Nguyen Anh Thong was crowned world champion for the first time.
Born to a poor family in Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho City, Anh Thong was forced to begin earning his living at an early age. “Because of difficult circumstances, Thong had to work as a salesperson for an electronics store. A part of his earnings was used to support his family, the remainder went to paying for his weightlifting training”, said his father, Nguyen Trung Thanh.
Anh Thong’s first achievement was a bronze medal at the National Club Bodybuilding Championships in 2001. He was then selected by Can Tho province’s bodybuilding coaches to take part in the National Sports Festival in 2006. Although he did not win any medals at the event, his passion for bodybuilding became deeply rooted in his heart. One year later, Anh Thong competed in the men’s 55kg category at the National Bodybuilding Championships and secured the gold medal, which created the impetus for the ‘Tay Do Big Ant’ to strive for greater accomplishments.
Thong was convoked to the national team to compete ininternational competitions in 2009, a year that marked a turning point in his career. Since, he has become the core of the national team.
The gold medal at the world championships in Hungary is Anh Thong’s second victory on the international stage, following a gold medal at the 47th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in Ho Chi Minh City this September.
With his experience, gained from many years of hard work and serious training, Anh Thong can be confident in his ability to attain this year’s ultimate goal – the gold medal at the upcoming 27th SEA Games in Myanmar.
