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Shooting star: Dang Hong Ha shows her medals at the National Shooting Championship. Ha hopes to maintain her personal best record in the women's air mobile target rifle at Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, on November 11-27. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngoc Truong |
The Hanoian shooter, who has been in the sport for a decade, is eager to repeat her achievement of winning an individual bronze, and a silver in the team event at Doha Asian Games four years ago.
She scored 368 points in the women's 10m air mobile target in the Doha Games to bag a silver to add to her 60-medal collection.
The 29-year-old shooter was awarded the Labour Order, Third Class, that year, after claiming the Asian Games silver.
Ha is proud that her individual record of 378 points at the National Shooting Championship has remained unbroken since 2004.
"It's a milestone since I joined the national squad in 2001. Although my younger national team-mates Nguyen Thuy Linh, 23, and Nguyen Thu Hang of the Army team, 26, have their eyes on the record, they still need more time. I think they'll break the record soon as they've rapidly progressed," Ha said.
Last week, the shooter took a cash-prize of VND500,000 (US$ 25) from Chinese coach Liu Ping as she scored 389 points from 40 shots during training, which she said was her best ever achievement.
"I rarely set records in competition. I just try to stabilise my scoring around 370 points because steadiness plays a key role for shooters."
At the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Munich, Germany in July, Ha scored 361 points to rank 13th.
"It was my poorest ever result. I couldn't explain why I shot so badly. The world event may be beyond my abilities," Ha confessed.
Doha Asian Games was a benchmark for Ha Noi-born markswoman as she had a daughter a year later, but her marriage ended after five years, with the couple divorcing early last year, and Ha returning to her parent's house with her three year-old daughter.
"I don't want to talk any more about that sad period. It's over. We separated when we no longer shared our life and love. My daughter is everything for me, behind training with rifle," she said.
The 20km road from home to the national sports training camp in Nhon Town seems shorter as she accompanies her team-mate Nguyen Thi Le Quyen.
The duo also won a team gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games in Laos last year, the medal that Ha cried over after the competition. She felt the achievement had washed away her sadness and overcame the pressure she had experienced to win gold.
Ha has been one of four Vietnamese shooters to have received special daily vitamin supplements of VND200,000 ($10) – three times as much as previously – from the Viet Nam Olympics Committee before the Asian Games kicking off in Guangzhou, China.
She said she tries to do everything she can to become a winner, but she needs a little luck and nerves of steel to turn her medal winning hopes into a reality in just over a month. — VNS
