26/09/2026
His name is Merman Tiun—coach of the Vietnam National Women’s Water Polo Team, and a man quietly living one of the most extraordinary dual lives in the world.
A One-of-a-Kind Journey: From Mangrove Sanctuary to National Pool
Long before dawn touches the horizon, his day is already well underway. He weaves through early-morning market stalls, meticulously selecting the freshest food for his rescued smooth-coated and small-clawed otters. With an ecologist’s care, he gathers specific snail species to build a thriving pond ecosystem and plants water mimosas (rau nhúc) to naturally filter the water. Managing three distinct otter families simultaneously is a labor of pure devotion—from tiny pups still nursing inside protected forest enclosures to older juveniles transitioning to fresh fish.
Once his morning duties in the mangroves are complete, he heads into the heart of the city, shifting seamlessly into his second calling. As a swim and dive coach, every lesson he teaches directly funds both his wildlife sanctuary and the growth of Vietnamese water polo. With an open-arms philosophy, he welcomes any woman or girl with a passion for the water—regardless of age or background—and ignites in them a competitive fire for the sport.
It is a quiet, incredible life—one spent untangling two vastly different worlds, bound together by an unmatched heart for conservation and national pride! Vietnam Water Polo
