“Small Man, Big Heart, Bigger Dreams” The Story of UC-San Diego’s Michael Nguyen

Photo Courtesy: Chin Hao (Howie) Chang

Guest feature by Chin Hao (Howie) Chang

SAN DIEGO, California, September 19. THE average physique of the 100 fly finalists at the London Olympics was 6ft 2in and 188 lbs. The average physique of the 2014 NCAA Division I 100 fly finalists was 6ft 1in and 174lbs. Michael Nguyen, a butterfly specialist from Oakland, Calif., stands just 5ft 6in and weighs 140 lbs.

Coming into his second year at the University of California, San Diego, Nguyen is determined to make the biggest splash in the pool despite having the smallest frame on the team. Nguyen provides some stiff competition against his taller and heavier counterparts every time he gets in the pool. What makes him more admirable, however, are the obstacles he has faced while growing up.

Nguyen went to Oakland Technical Senior High School, where he was a member of the less than 0.1% of a minority population, being the only student of his race at his school. Having a small physique and being of a different ethnicity made him an easy target for harassment.

Racial slurs were regularly called out as he walked through the hallway. Books were slapped out of his hands as he walked towards his locker. The only option for Nguyen, however, was to grit his teeth and ignore the harassment. After school, he would walk a couple of blocks to the bus stop where he would board the bus to Laney College and practice with the Oakland Undercurrents.

That walk would end up being the most dreaded part of his day.

Significantly outnumbered, Nguyen routinely faced a pack of students on his way to practice. But knowing that fighting would only result in life-threatening injuries, he would just block out the insults and walk on. Unfortunately, there were occasions where a student would throw in a fist. On one occasion, a student tackled him. With no choice, Nguyen had to retaliate in self defense, walking out with a broken left arm, while the attacker fractured his tailbone and never bothered him again.

Nguyen has suffered countless injuries due to protecting himself from further harm, but they never kept him out of the pool.

While other swimmers dreaded going to practice, he dreaded the walk to practice. The pool was his safe haven where he was able to do what he loves without any trouble or fear. His admirable motivation to succeed in and out of the pool came from these obstacles that he had to overcome while growing up. They made him tougher, mentally and physically. It taught him to block out the pain and harness the anger to reach his goals.

Planning to graduate from UC San Diego in 2017 with a major in Economics and minor in Business, Nguyen wishes to go home and participate in philanthropy efforts in Oakland to encourage students to stay in school and in extra curricular activities. When I asked him what he would say to the students, he said, “ Don’t let anything get in the way of something you love.”

Nguyen may be small, but physical stature does not measure the size of someone’s heart and determination.

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Robert Strauss

9 years ago

Admirable behavior!
Walk away don’t try to be a hero; the cemetery is full of heros!
Awesome roll model!

Allen

9 years ago

There’s a real man!

Choco

9 years ago

What an inspirational story!