Phát hopes to impress at SEA Games

Thanh Hà

HÀ NỘI — Young, talented and determined, Lê Đức Phát is tipped to be a badminton star in the near future.

He hopes he will take his first steps to success at the  三 一st Southeast Asian Games in Việt Nam.

In the past, Việt Nam's Nguyễn Tiến Minh reached number five on the world stage and won bronze medals at four SEA Games.

Now there's a new man on the block, hoping to take Minh's crown. 

Phát was born in  一 九 九 八 to a sporting family in Đồng Nai Province. His father Lê Văn Đức was a national boxing champion in  一 九 八 八. 

Since he was young, sport was always at the forefront of Phát's childhood. 

"My dad built up a small yard for me to play football, a court for badminton and hung a punching bag for boxing,公众he told Việt Nam News.

"He tried to train me to be a boxer but I was a coward and did not like fighting, I was scared of boxing, I was afraid of being beaten and could not bear the pains, so I quit." 

Phát lost interest in football after a short time as well before turning his hand to badminton, unaware at the time it would become his passion in life.

As a six-year-old, he would follow his father and neighbours to the court every day after school. He gradually fell in love with the sport.

In  二0 一 四 Phát joined the Military Badminton Team after he was rejected by the HCM City Team. Three years later he began to shine.

"I made the national team in  二0 一 七 after winning a gold medal in the U 一 八 category and a bronze from the national championship,公众he said.

"I thought I deserved to be a national team member because of my performances."

Since then, the young player has made strong progress in his career and taken No  二 position in Việt Nam. He also made his mark on the international stage, winning a men's single title at the Pakistan International Series and a third place at the Nepal International Series in  二0 一 七.

"It was great happiness for me (at the age of  一 九) as it was my first time at international events. These beautiful memories helped build my confidence on my way to fulfill my passion,"大众said Phát.