Born into a farming family in Tam Tien, Bang's journey into Pencak Silat began unexpectedly when a relative introduced her to coach Dang Toan Thang of the Bac Ninh Pencak Silat team.

Nong Thi Bang on the podium with her gold medal at the Junior World Pencak Silat Championship 2024.

Recognising her natural aptitude, Thang encouraged her to train at the provincial Training and Sports Competition Centre. At the time, Pencak Silat was still a relatively unfamiliar sport in her rural hometown.

But driven by a love for movement and curiosity about this new martial art, 11-year-old Bang was determined to convince her parents to let her give it a try.

Pencak Silat is characterised by a blend of self-defence and counterattack, utilising a diverse range of techniques involving the hands and feet, both fluid and forceful.

Bang’s natural physical coordination allowed her to quickly grasp techniques. She was known for repeating movements countless times and even training extra hours to master them.

Under the mentorship of coach Thang, a former SEA Games champion, Bang progressed rapidly and, after just over two years, qualified to compete in the National Junior Pencak Silat Championship 2023.

In her debut tournament, Bang advanced to the finals in the 57–60 kg category (ages 15–17) and earned a silver medal. Though not the top podium spot, this first medal ignited a deep desire to compete at the highest levels.

In 2024, at the age of 16, she won gold medals at both the National Junior Pencak Silat Championship and the National Pencak Silat Club Championship.

These achievements earned her a place on Vietnam’s junior national team to compete at the Junior World Pencak Silat Championship held in the United Arab Emirates.

At the world championship, Bang delivered an outstanding performance and claimed the gold medal in the 57–60 kg weight class.

“The moment I heard Vietnam’s national anthem playing on the world stage, I was overwhelmed with emotion. All the fatigue disappeared and only pride, joy, and tears of happiness remained,” she recalled.

Returning home with a world championship gold medal, Bang has shown great maturity, especially in her confidence and determination to reach even greater heights.

At the National Junior Pencak Silat Championship 2025 in June, she once again excelled and brought another gold medal for Bac Ninh. Her joy was doubled when she was awarded the first-class Labour Order at the same event in recognition of her outstanding achievements.

At just 17 years old, Nong Thi Bang is still in the early stages of her athletic career. She reminds herself not to "rest on her laurels."

Her recent successes serve as motivation to continue practicing hard, with the dream of winning a gold medal at the 25th SEA Games in Thailand, shining her homeland and country on the international stage.

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