Founded by former provincial champion Cao Văn Thảo, the Cao Võ Đường Taekwondo Club in Ia Krêl commune focuses on health, discipline and competitive excellence, while actively identifying and nurturing promising young athletes. The club currently trains about 150 students, mainly aged six to 18, across four classes in the communes of Bàu Cạn, Chư Prông and Ia Krêl.
Thảo, born in 1991, began practicing taekwondo in 2004 after developing a childhood fascination with martial arts. Years of disciplined training led him to win a gold medal in sparring at the Gia Lai Provincial Taekwondo Championship in 2008, followed by multiple podium finishes. In 2017, he established the Chư Prông Taekwondo Club, later renamed Cao Võ Đường, serving as both head coach and manager.
“Our strength lies in sparring,” Thảo said, noting that the club prioritizes talent identification, specialized coaching and referrals to the provincial taekwondo team. Training also emphasizes physical conditioning, technical skills and competition exposure through internal matches and grassroots tournaments.
The approach has delivered consistent results. For many years, the club has ranked among the top three teams at provincial competitions and has supplied four athletes to provincial and national squads.
Among its most notable graduates are twin sisters Nguyễn Thị Mai and Nguyễn Thị Loan, now members of Vietnam’s national taekwondo team. Competing in sparring, the pair have achieved success at national and international levels. At the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand, Loan won silver in the women’s 53 kg category, while Mai claimed bronze in the women’s 46 kg division.
Club members also highlight broader benefits. Phạm Đỗ Anh Khoa, born in 2010, said he joined to improve fitness and self-defense before winning gold in the 44 kg sparring category at the 2024 Gia Lai Provincial Championship. Phạm Kiều Giang, a long-time trainee, credited the club with improved health and weight control.
Beyond coaching, Thảo has expanded into athlete support. In 2025, his company, Trí Đăng Trading and Service Co., Ltd., launched Trí Đăng Medicate Oil, a product combining active ingredients and herbal extracts to help relieve muscle fatigue and joint pain. The oil has been tested and used by the club’s coaches and students.
Nguyễn Đức Nhật, a coach with the provincial taekwondo team, described Thảo as experienced and deeply committed, saying the club has become one of the province’s most reliable training centers and a steady source of high-quality athletes.
