25th SEA Games, Laos

The Lao archery team has been training at the National Sports Training Centre since April in preparation for the Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi , Vietnam , in August.

The Lao Archery Federation will send eight men and eight women to the games.

The Lao archers are looking for experience at the international level as they prepare for a medal run at the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane in December.

The federation's Vice President, Mr Kasem Inthara, said the federation was looking for sponsors as they warmed up for the SEA Games.

“We are also asking the International Archery Federation and the Asian Archery Federation to assist the Lao archery team with events,” he said.

The team was training at the Physical Education Teacher Training School last December before transferring to the sports training centre.

The Lao National Sports Committee will use its budget to buy 12 bows which the committee is ordering from Thailand .

Lao archery coach, Mr Bounhom Siliphon, said archers were waiting for the new bows, which would be of a standard suitable for training and archery competitions.

The Lao team trained at the ASEAN Archery Training Centre in Bangkok , Thailand , from January 31 to February 24 and competed in the 1st Asian Archery Grand Prix 2009.

Five men and four women representing Laos took part in the Grand Prix from February 18-24.

Mr Bounhom said the extra competition had boosted the Lao archers' techniques.

The five men archers were Khampho Inthavong, Phouvieng Mounthinthay, Thanonglith Siliphon, Phanlakhone Inthavong and Phoutlamphay Thiemphasone.

The four women archers were Kietvongphin Bounmany, Somsamay Mounthinthay, Phonesouly Duangmala and Viengkeo Sihalath.

Kietvongphin and Viengkeo competed in the women's recurve event (30, 50, 60 and 70 metres) at the 14th ASEAN University Games in Malaysia last December 15-17.

At the meet, Viengkeo was able to shoot 1,085 points, finishing in ninth place.

Archery events consist of men's and women's singles in the recurve division, men's and women's teams (four archers) in the recurve division, men's and women's singles in the compound division, and men's and women's teams in the compound division.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes