Orange's Joe Donnelly helps Vietnam's rowers qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games

So when Orange rowing super coach Joe Donnelly says just making the 2016 Rio Olympics is a big deal for his lightweight women’s doubles crew training out of Hanoi, he’s probably right.

Six years after a holiday in Vietnam and a chance encounter with a ‘rowing club’ sign landed Donnelly the tiny Asian country’s head coaching role, the former Kinross Wolaroi bursar is thrilled his two-pronged women’s pairs team is again off to the Olympics.

Scrap the awesome foursome, Ta Tahn Huyen and Ho Thi Ly are Donnelly’s talented twosome. 

“It’s difficult,” Donnelly begins.

“Because they’ve got no money. They’re poor and there’s not a lot of rowers, equipment or facilities … it’s very tough.

“They’re all farm kids, and a few of the ones that have been good enough I’ve been able to help and get to the top like an Australian team.

“I left my position as bursar of Kinross to help get the girls to Rio … I’ve done that now.”

Coaching the Vietnamese rowing team from his home in Orange is a tough ask, it’s why Donnelly spends three weeks at a time in Australia before then three weeks in Vietnam. That’s been a process repeated for the last two years.

He writes all of their rowing programs – a tactic working a treat too.

The team has enjoyed success, firstly, at the Asian Games in 2010 before appearances at the London Olympics in 2012, the World Championships in 2013, the Asian Games in 2014 – where his team won a bronze and two silver medals –  before claiming eight gold medals at the South East Asian Games in 2015.

Then, Huyen and Ly qualified for the Rio Olympics

“I love it,” Donnelly said looking at his involvement in helping the Asian country bat well above its average in rowing.

“I’ve been rowing for 50 years. I started as a 13-year-old at Riverview. I set up the club at Kinross … I love rowing.”

Donnelly begins his trip to Rio on Tuesday, where he’ll fly out to Hanoi, Vietnam before heading off to Singapore for his lightweight women’s doubles crew’s final competition before the Olympics on July 25

He’ll then depart for Rio, for two weeks, on July 31.

Donnelly will return to Hanoi for two weeks to train, then head to China for 10 days for the Asian Cup and then back to Vietnam for a further 10 days before a final stop at Danang for the Beach Games, where he also coaches Vietnam, the 2016 host nation.

“Busy,” Donnelly smiled, his return date on Australian shores not until October 4.

“I’ve changed (the Vietnam team). It’s really professional. Before they were just puttering around the lake like a lot of lost sheep … now they’re not.”

Vietnam has 20 athletes in its Olympic team – two will compete in rowing.

Donnelly is looking forward to taking part in the opening ceremony, with close to an additional 30 Vietnamese officials and coaches set to join in.