A Vietnamese female diving athlete is ingeniously leveraging her collection of medals from her illustrious competitive career to promote her sausage store in Hanoi.

The store owned by Nguyen Phuong Anh, a member of the Vietnamese national diving team, has earned the moniker 'the stone-grilled sausage shop with the most captivating backdrop in the capital' among online communities.

Decorating her booth with an impressive collection of 51 medals garnered over nearly two decades of competitive diving, Anh, born in 1999 in Hanoi, has transformed her humble sausage stand into a unique attraction. 

Reflecting on her journey, she shared that she opened the shop earlier this year.

“A month later, another store selling similar items emerged just 200 meters away,” Anh said. 

“So I decided to distinguish mine by showcasing my medals.”

While her innovative approach piqued the curiosity of passers-by, some have mistaken her display for a medal shop.

In those awkward situations, she kindly replied, “I am an athlete who sells stone-grilled sausages. These medals hold great value to me; I would never sell them.”

Anh’s passion for diving was ignited in kindergarten when she was identified as having exceptional talent. 

“Since falling in love with diving, I’ve dedicated nearly two decades to pursuing it,” she said. 

Her proudest achievement is securing the gold medal at the National Sports Festival 2022 and representing Vietnam at many Southeast Asian Games editions.

Beyond her athletic pursuits, Anh harbors a love for contemporary dance, having previously been part of a dance group. 

Despite the group’s current hiatus, her boundless energy and outgoing nature drive her to stay active and to start running a stone-grilled sausage stand in front of her home on Doi Can Street in Ba Dinh District. 

In Hanoi, stone-grilled sausages have recently gained popularity among young people for their firm texture, juicy fat, and chili powder coating.

Sellers use a stone grill, which evenly cooks the sausages without direct contact with flames, thus avoiding the smoky smell of grilled charcoal.

Balancing her training regimen, studies as a senior at the Bac Ninh University of Physical Education and Sports in neighboring Bac Ninh Province, and entrepreneurial endeavors, Anh remains unwavering in her commitment. 

“Don’t seek comfort in the years where you can endure hardship. Train in the morning and afternoon, and sell in the evening,” she said with a bright smile, encapsulating her relentless work ethic and determination.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!