Tu Thanh Thuan has been assessed to be the best player in the line-up of Sanest Khanh Hoa volleyball team in 2020. After five years joining Sanest Khanh Hoa from Vinh Long, the player born in Tien Giang Province, a province in Mekong Delta, has become assimilated into the team and contributed greatly to the achievements of Sanest Khanh Hoa.
Tu Thanh Thuan has been assessed to be the best player in the line-up of Sanest Khanh Hoa volleyball team in 2020. After five years joining Sanest Khanh Hoa from Vinh Long, the player born in Tien Giang Province, a province in Mekong Delta, has become assimilated into the team and contributed greatly to the achievements of Sanest Khanh Hoa.
Exceptionally good player of Vietnam’s volleyball
Tu Thanh Thuan has been regarded as the top spiker of Vietnam’s volleyball at the present. Thuan, born in 1992, made a great contribution to the championship Sanest Khanh Hoa at the national championship 2020 held in Nha Trang City. Persistence and hard work helped Thuan to achieve many personal achievements such as PV GAS D 2017, 2020 championships; gold medal at the National Sports Festival 2018; championships at Hung Vuong Cup and Dam Ca Mau Cup; bronze medal at SEA Games 27, 29; silver medal at SEA Games 28; and top 4 at AVC Men’s Club Volleyball Championship 2018.
Thuan, 1.93 m in height, often played sports when he was in high school, but he never thought of pursuing the career of a professional athlete. His life changed when coach Tran Van Son of Vinh Long volleyball team persuaded and encouraged him to play volleyball. After that, Thuan started to practice in Vinh Long Province’s talented volleyball team and then got promoted to provincial junior team. He was called up to the national team to play in the middle position when he was 20 years old. However, he could not protect his position in the national team because there were many outstanding middle blockers or hitters in the team at that time.
After that, Thuan decided to switch from middle to outside hitter. After one year of hard training and practice, Tu Thanh Thuan won the national championship 2013 with Xo so kien thiet Vinh Long and bronze medal with Vietnam national team at SEA Games 2013. Since then, Tu Thanh Thuan has emerged as an excellent player and one of the key athletes of local teams and national team.
Conquering glorious victories
Tu Thanh Thuan transferred to Sanest Khanh Hoa in 2016 with a three-year contract. Together with Sanest Khanh Hoa, Thuan has improved on his skills and achieved many glorious victories.
At the 2020 PV GAS National Volleyball Championship, Sanest Khanh Hoa beat the 2019 champions Ho Chi Minh City, whom they lost to in the 2019 final, to win the championship at the home ground after 12 years. “This is the second time I have won the national championship with Sanest Khanh Hoa. However, claiming the trophy at home ground made me feel happier than when we won it in Dak Lak in 2017,” said Thuan.
The 2020 championship was also the third one of Sanest Khanh Hoa after 12 years joining domestic professional playground. Tu Thanh Thuan contributed much to two out of these three titles. Through the previous matches of Sanest Khanh Hoa, it could be seen that most of the serves made by Thuan could earn points for Sanest Khanh Hoa. Thai Quang Lai, head coach of Sanest Khanh Hoa, said “Whether the national team or Sanest Khanh Hoa, Tu Thanh Thuan is an indispensable athlete and deserves to be the best player in Vietnam at the present. In the domestic playground, Sanest Khanh Hoa has been the only team achieving all national level titles. Along with the excellence of Tu Thanh Thuan, our team's goal is not only protecting our achievements but also reaching higher levels towards big tournaments at the regional and continental level.”
An Nhien
Translated by H.N