Born in 2009, Tâm Du began boxing at an early age under the guidance of his father, Đào Duy Lâm, before receiving formal training at the provincial Center for Sports Training and Competition.
After mastering fundamental techniques, his father entrusted his development to former coach Đặng Hiếu Hiền, taking him from Đắk Lắk to Bình Định, long considered a stronghold of martial arts, to join the provincial youth boxing system.
After one month of disciplined training, Tâm Du passed the coaching board’s assessment and was admitted to the Bình Định provincial youth boxing team. He quickly distinguished himself in both training and competition, gradually becoming a key medal contender in the youth division.
Now competing for Gia Lai, Tâm Du is regarded by coaches as one of the province’s standout young talents. Fighting in the 50 kg weight class, he captured gold medals at the National Youth Boxing Championships every year from 2022 to 2025, marking a rare run of sustained success at the national level.
The year 2025 marked another milestone when Tâm Du earned his first call-up to the national youth team. In late April, he represented Vietnam at the 2025 Asian U15 and U17 Boxing Championships in Jordan, where he faced some of Asia’s strongest young boxers and narrowly missed out on a bronze medal, falling just one victory short. Despite not reaching the podium, the tournament provided valuable international exposure.
“Each time I compete, I’m not afraid of strong opponents because it’s a chance to learn and improve”, Tâm Du said. “I’m grateful that my family guided me into sports and always supports me, attending every competition to cheer me on”.
Coach Đặng Hiếu Hân praised his student’s development, noting that Tâm Du began structured training earlier than many of his peers, giving him a strong technical base.
“In competition, he maintains technical discipline, stays proactive and remains calm at decisive moments. That mindset has helped him secure convincing victories and gold medals for the province”, he said.
Family support has been a constant throughout Tâm Du’s career, with his parents providing encouragement and attending competitions, helping him sustain motivation and commitment to high-performance sport.
That sporting passion has also extended to his younger sister, Đào Hà Diệu Ly. Competing for Gia Lai at the 2025 National Youth Boxing Championship, Diệu Ly won a bronze medal in the 48 kg category for the 13-14 age group. Together, the siblings’ achievements reflect a family tradition of dedication to boxing and raise expectations for Gia Lai’s future in elite sport.
