DNU Tourism Faculty female student excellently won gold medal in the "Marathon accompanying Seagame 31" race

We had a quick meeting and interview with Nong Thi Chang to hear her share about her awards, academic achievements and favorite things at Dai Nam University.

- Hello Chang. First of all, congratulations on your excellent Gold Medal at the "Marathon for the 31st Sea Games". How did you feel when you heard that you won the prize?

Even though I had practiced and prepared in advance, I was still very surprised to stand on the podium, and I did not expect it to be the highest podium. Because as far as I know, this tournament gathers many of the top amateur runners in Vietnam, selected based on the achievements of 3 major races in the National tournament system.

Normally in other races, the 42.195 km distance starts at 4am, and I finish the race around 7:30 - 8am (when the sun just starts to shine). But in this race, the start time was delayed a lot (8am), so I was quite worried that I would lose a lot of water while running. Luckily, it wasn't too sunny that day.

I didn't put any pressure on myself to achieve my goals, so I felt very comfortable when I ran. And I just kept passing each opponent, becoming the first place winner (this was not in my plan, so I was really surprised and happy). I was proud of myself, feeling that the fatigue and difficulties in training that I had persevered through were well worth it. I also felt very grateful to everyone who had supported me during this time.

Nong Thi Chang's award at Seagame 31.

- How did you train to achieve such results? How long did your training take?

I started running in grade 12 (2020). I think my achievements today are due to my accumulation and continuous training. The training process emphasizes perseverance the most. At first, like everyone else, I was very tired after running a few hundred meters. Then I gradually increased the distance, and persevered without stopping.

Regarding training for the tournament, I have my own workout routine and I always try to practice as best as I can. To prepare for the tournament “accompanying Seagame 31”, I have been practicing for 3 months and have been practicing under the sun to get used to the weather this summer.

- Does running training affect your studies? How did you arrange your study time before participating in the competition?

I find that running does not affect my studies because I usually practice at 5-6am and 6-7pm. Not only that, I find that it also helps me reduce stress, relax my mind, and study more effectively. Besides, when I participate in running, I meet many new friends and have more opportunities to develop myself.

Before the competition, my studies were not affected because I always had a clear schedule, and races were usually held on Sundays. It was just that sometimes there was a race outside the province, I needed to move early so I had to take Saturday off.

On the school side, especially the teachers in the Faculty of Tourism, when they knew that I asked for leave to compete in the race, they were very supportive and encouraged me enthusiastically. I am also very happy that the school organized sports activities for us students, so that I have the opportunity to interact with everyone and also give me more motivation to practice and pursue my passion.

- It is known that your academic performance at the Faculty of Tourism, Dai Nam University is always ranked Excellent. So what is the secret/motivation that helps you maintain such achievements?

Nong Thi Chang on the running track at the "Marathon for the 31st Sea Games".

The secret to always maintaining my good performance in both studying and sports is to combine them into one. Studying helps me become more confident and gives me discipline, which is very necessary for running. Sports helps me relax, reduce stress, and thus study better. I always remind myself that "if you do something, you have to do it with all your heart, then no matter what the result is, you will have no regrets".

During my studies, the difficulty I encountered was that when I first entered the school, I was not familiar with the university examination system, so my schedule was often full on the days before the exams. Sometimes I was too busy to go to practice. But now I have overcome that situation thanks to the support of the school and the teachers in the Faculty.

Not only has impressive sports achievements, Nong Thi Chang also has impressive academic achievements at the Faculty of Tourism, Dai Nam University.

- What advice do you have for students, especially those who are passionate about sports (running) like you?

The advice I want to give you is to practice sports diligently. Be healthy to be beautiful and confident. Be healthy to study well. Be healthy to experience all that this beautiful life has to offer. Try to conquer the roads and yourself once. That feeling is truly wonderful! For those of you who are playing sports, I hope you will continue to maintain and practice constantly, because who knows, one day you can be like me, achieving admirable results. Be confident, if I can do it, you can do it too. But don't forget to study in class and study at home!

- What makes you feel most satisfied when studying at Dai Nam University?

What I like most about Dai Nam is that the teachers are extremely enthusiastic, have extensive and in-depth knowledge. The school has many movement activities for students to experience. Besides, DNU also has a comfortable learning space, advanced equipment, full and quality facilities.

From the very first days of entering the school, Chang enthusiastically participated in activities at the faculty and school.

- What are your learning goals and other goals for the coming school years?

My study goal is to graduate with a good degree, grasp the basic and specialized knowledge of the Tourism industry I am studying. My further goal is to be able to develop further in the field of tourism and sports, combine tourism and sports, return to Lang Son to develop tourism in my hometown.

Thanks for sharing Chang! I wish you good health and energy to pursue your passion and always maintain your “form”!

Communications Department (implementation)