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With a 15-year commitment to wushu, the determined young female athlete aims to push her limits and explore a new field.
Dang Tieu Binh (Nana), born in 2000, is a young athlete of the Vietnamese wushu team. Starting training at the age of 7, she has now spent 15 years with this traditional sport.
Having previously secured a spot in the Top 3 of the World Junior Wushu Championship and the 2nd place in the Junior Asian Wushu Championship, SEA Games 31 was an opportunity for Tieu Binh to showcase her abilities. She clinched 2 Silver Medals for Vietnam in the categories of Artistic and Sword Techniques for women.
Initially, my family encouraged me to practice wushu for better health and to reduce illness. Later, my instructors discovered my talent, leading me to join the professional training team.
In my first SEA Games participation, I was fortunate to be selected for the competition. Without specific targets, I aimed to give my best performance. Although not exceptionally outstanding, it was a stepping stone for me to strive even harder.
Acknowledging that the achievement of the medal was attributed to luck, few are aware that, just before the competition, the female athlete received strict criticism from the coach for not performing a specific routine correctly:
'The coach said that not everyone has the opportunity to compete, and yet there's only one move that I couldn't perfect. Alongside that were words that made me choke, just waiting to cry. That night, I pondered a lot and then got up to practice on the mat, spending three hours, repeating it until 2 AM the next morning. And in the end, I did it.'
The silent efforts of the female athlete were duly rewarded in her first appearance at the SEA Games 31. However, just three days after standing on the podium to receive the medal, Dang Tieu Binh unexpectedly appeared on the OnLan gaming stage for the VCT Challengers Vietnam Stage 2 finals (part of the Valorant official tournament system) as the MC with the nickname Nana. This abrupt transition brought her to a completely new challenge, unrelated to her wushu background, attracting the attention of the Esports community; a case that has never been seen before.
Observers believe that making such a bold decision requires the person to be extremely strong and courageous.
'Strength, confidence, and toughness are the words that I think accurately describe my personality.'
I've been living with my mother since I was a child, raised by her single-handedly. Despite not having a father around, I've never felt deprived. I realized early on that my parents were not happy living together, so parting ways was necessary. Despite many advising me to reconcile with my father, I don't want that. I want my parents to live happily.'
My strong independence is influenced by my mother, and years of sports training have made me as strong as I am today,” - Nana confides.
No matter how strong you are, branching out into a completely different field from the job you've been devoted to for the past 15 years brings many challenges, firstly in rearranging the time schedule.
“Compared to others, I don't have much free time. When I was young, I trained in the morning and afternoon, studied cultural subjects in the evening. Summers were dedicated to wushu for competitions. Now, I exercise in the morning and afternoon, play or participate in Valorant tournaments in the evening. Some days, working until 1-2 a.m. is normal. But it's something I love, something I want to do, so I feel very happy”.
From that heartfelt confession, it's easy to understand that the love for games in general and Valorant in particular has been nurtured by this young lady for a long time, not just recently. Nana reveals that she has liked playing games since she was a child but didn't have the opportunity to pursue this hobby. So, when the chance came, she played League of Legends, later switching to Valorant. And then, the desire to contribute to the growing Esports scene led her to contact the admin after being active in the gaming forum, proposing to contribute unconditionally:
“At the end of 2021, I realized there were very few personnel for community tournaments, so I messaged to volunteer as a referee, unconditionally supporting tournaments and was accepted as a referee. I remember spending 5 days translating the rules from English and memorizing them, preparing the best for the job. Trying small tournaments, then big ones, I gradually became an official referee, and later, the head referee in Valorant tournaments” - Nana is the only girl who conquers this position.
Nana's journey in conquering Esports doesn't stop there. The unexpected opportunity to try out as an MC for Valorant tournaments came: “Right after the end of the competitions at SEA Games 31, I had the opportunity to experience being an MC, interviewing players after the matches in the VCT Challengers Vietnam Stage 2 finals.
Leading for the first time, despite thorough preparation, I felt overwhelmed and stumbled in front of the live camera. There were many harsh comments from the online community, but I didn't see it as pressure. I embraced constructive feedback and ignored negative words. Many colleagues also supported and comforted me, encouraging me to try harder for the next times.
Especially, from being someone who disliked games and worried about my daughter neglecting wushu training, now, Nana's mom understands much more about Esports. She wholeheartedly supports every decision her daughter makes, becoming Nana's biggest source of encouragement.
Looking back at my first time as an MC, I would rate myself 6/10. Positive aspects include daring to take on the role, actively learning, and facing criticism without evasion, even when I mistakenly read the team name. Despite quickly correcting the error, I still admit I am inexperienced and unable to fully express my own style.
Nevertheless, for Nana, this is a very special tournament. Thanks to this stage, the community knows her more. It's not just about referees knowing Nana anymore, but the audience will also know Nana as the Valorant stage MC.
Being an energetic person with dreams and determination, Nana once again surprises those who love her with the goal of conquering Esports in the last 6 months of the year:
I am passionate about competing and always wanted to be a player. Since there aren't many wushu or major Valorant tournaments coming up, I will spend time honing my skills so that next year, I can appear in the men's Valorant team. I might reveal that I could play as a Duelist or Sentinel - my strengths.
Though I refrained from participating, if determined, I aspire to match the prowess of my male counterparts. I admire the shooting style and reflexes of men, seeking to learn and simultaneously demonstrate that female counterparts are equally formidable. Especially in making me stand out,”.
Nana believes that with her determination, the comprehensive support from her mother, the female MC will continue to have fascinating experiences and achieve success on the journey to conquer Esports.
