Khanh Phong left the National Gymnastics Championship to mourn his father.

Nguyen Van Khanh Phong's father suddenly passed away, forcing Vietnam's number 1 gymnast to abandon his participation in the 2025 National Championship in Hanoi and return to Ho Chi Minh City to mourn.

Nguyen Van Khanh Phong is the pride of Vietnamese and Ho Chi Minh City gymnastics - Photo: TTO

Early morning of September 19, athlete Nguyen Van Khanh Phong shared on his personal Facebook page about his father's passing. Phong choked up: "There are words that I have not had time to say. There are goodbyes that I have not had time to say before you left me! I will send my farewell to you - my silent hero."

On September 19, Phong stopped competing in the 2025 National Gymnastics Championship taking place at Quan Ngua Sports Palace (Hanoi) to return to Ho Chi Minh City to mourn his father - Mr. Nguyen Van Huy. The passing of his father was a great pain and loss for Phong.

Phong was born in 2002 in Ho Chi Minh City and has been practicing gymnastics since he was 7 years old. At the age of 13, Phong began competing internationally, achieving many good results in youth tournaments in Europe and Asia, with the peak being 3 gold medals at the Youth World Cup in 2017 and 2018 and ranking 8th at the Youth Olympics in 2018.

In 2023, Phong twice consecutively surpassed world champion Carlos Yulo to win the 32nd SEA Games gold medal and the World Championship silver medal.

He also won 2 Asian silver medals in 2023 and 2024. Phong's peak was the prestigious 19th Asian Games silver medal in 2023 in Hangzhou (China) in his specialty event, the rings.

Phong is the key athlete of the Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City men's gymnastics teams. These days, he and his Ho Chi Minh City teammates are competing in the 2025 National Championship. On September 18, Phong won the men's team gold medal with the Ho Chi Minh City athletes. In addition, he also won a silver medal in the men's all-around event.

Coach Truong Minh Sang (Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City gymnastics team) said that according to the plan on September 19, Phong would compete in the individual events at the tournament. However, after receiving news of his father's death, the team stopped Phong from competing so he could return to Ho Chi Minh City to mourn his father.

Although the family's circumstances were not well off, for more than ten years, Khanh Phong's parents were always there to encourage, support and accompany their son throughout his sports journey. In many tournaments, Phong's father traveled to Hanoi and Cambodia to cheer for his son. His father's death was a great loss for Phong.

Next December, Phong will join the gymnastics team to compete at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand. Phong will continue to be the main force in winning medals for Vietnamese gymnastics.

KHUONG XUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khanh-phong-bo-do-giai-the-duc-dung-cu-vo-dich-quoc-gia-ve-chiu-tang-ba-20250919120237548.htm