Martial arts coach Pham Quoc Trong instructs his disciples, including World Kata Champion Nguyen Hoang Ngan (1st left) Martial arts master Pham Quoc Trong, a member of the international referee board at the karatedo tournament held inJapan . Martial arts master Pham Quoc Trong (middle) during his training course in Japan. Instructing his disciples at Trinh Hoai Duc Sports Centre.   2008 was a successful year for sports achievements by Vietnamese athletes on the international stage. Considered the leader of this impressive parade of sports stars is world karatedo gold medalist Nguyen Hoang Ngan, the Vietnamese "Kata Queen". It was the first time Vietnam won the world karatedo gold medal. Ngan attributes a lot of her success to coach Pham Quoc Trong. Martial arts master Pham Quoc Trong. At the most recent World Karatedo Championship Tournament held in November 2008 in Tokyo, Japan – the cradle of the martial arts, Nguyen Hoang Ngan outpointed her French opponent to become the world kata champion. Upon the announcement of the results, Ngan leaped high into the air while the eyes of her esteemed coach, Pham Quoc Trong, were wet with tears of happiness. This came as a huge surprise as Japanese athletes have been the dominant leaders in this discipline that displays the beauty and quintessence of martial arts. During the award presentation ceremony, with the Vietnamese anthem resonating throughout the Tokyo Arena and the Vietnam flag being raised, national pride beamed from both coach and athlete.  After graduating from the fencing faculty at the University of Physical Education and Sports in Russia , Trong returned home and worked as a fencing coach for the Hanoi Sports Department. He started developing fencing in the Capital, however, due to the difficult economic condition at that time all his efforts failed. He then engaged in karatedo and participated in instructing the national kata team. While Vietnamese martial arts athletes quickly showed their dominance in the kumite event at the SEA Games and ASIAD, members in the national kata team did not obtain good results. Not until 21 years later did they win a series of achievements at SEA Games 22 held in Vietnam in 2003, with Nguyen Hoang Ngan leading the way.  Since then, the kata team, under the coaching of Pham Quoc Trong, has made important contributions to Vietnam ’s sport at SEA Games, ASIAD and the World’s karatedo championship tournaments. With his contributions, Trong was nominated two times for the national outstanding coach in 2006 and 2008. At present, Trong and his athletes are training hard to prepare for ASIAD 2010 in Guangzhou, China , with a hope of obtaining more prestigious awards. Martial arts master Pham Quoc Trong (2nd from left) and his disciples at ASIAD 15 in Doha in 2006. Story by Hoang Quang Ha - Photos by Nam Suong – Hoang Ha – Files