A young girl, who is an inline skating enthusiast, has devoted her time to introducing the sport to children in Hanoi who otherwise might not be exposed to it.

Hang’s performance 

Nguyen Thi Hang, 22, who is a student of Dai Nam University, has been skating for over the past four years and she has worked as the trainer for three. “I like this sport very much, it helps improve my health and makes me feel more confident,” she said.

Hang used to take a part-time job at an inline skate club in Hanoi named Happy. Gradually she became interested in the sport and started practicing.  Her idol became Kim Yuna, a South Korean figure skater.

At first Hang skated at the Ly Thai To Flower Garden, which attracted attention from passers by. These included a number of parents who asked her to teach their children.

“Every year, I teach around 200-300 children, including those suffering from autism. We practice the sports every day, except when it rains,” Hang shared, adding that she also teaches children at home and travels to some residential areas in Hanoi for teaching. Her youngest student now is just three years old.

Under her careful instruction, most of the children can learn skate within 7-10 days, and thanks to the attention paid to protection equipment, falls rarely result in injury.

She also teaches a number of adults and even foreigners. She said that, an increasing number of overseas Vietnamese families return for the summer and bring their children to take classes.

One of Hang’s students, Chau Anh, in the 4th grade at Nguyen Du Primary School, said, “I love the class. Skating makes me more relaxed and I've met new friends."

Mr. Duong from Van Quan Urban Area in Ha Dong District often takes his son to the garden for 2-3 times a week to skate. The garden is more than 10 kilometres from his home, but there is no place to practice near him.

“I want to promote this sport among children and hope that there will be good skaters in Vietnam in the future who will be able to join international competitions," she said.

Inline skating has become more popular among young people in Hanoi. Skaters can be seen every afternoon, public spaces such as Ly Thai To Flower Garden, Lenin Park and Lenin Statue.

Hang and her students

Ly Thai To Flower Garden in the afternoon