The Lao national karatedo team is hopeful of success at the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane this December after winning a bronze medal in the last games in Thailand in 2007.
Marketing Manager of Lao Asia Pacific Breweries, Mr Kelvin Tan, presented US$10,000 to Vice President of the Lao Karatedo Federation, Dr Sonethanou Thammavong, in Vientiane on Tuesday.
Mr Tan said the funding would go towards assisting karatedo athletes prepare for the games.
Dr Sonethanou said the funding would support the team undertake training and purchase some equipment.
The squad has been training for the games since February, and consists of 14 men and 12 women in various weight divisions.
Later this month the team will enter a training camp at the National Sports Training Centre.
The federation will send some fighters to train in Hanoi , Vietnam from September to November.
They will replace 14 athletes who have been training in Hanoi since April.
The men in the national squad will compete in the 55, 60 to 80kg weight categories at the games, and women in the 47, 53 to over 60kg divisions.
The team will also compete in the dancing event, which consists of singles and team categories, as well as in the fighting event.
Two international karatedo tournaments will be held in Phuket province, Thailand in August in order to test the squad's skills before the games.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes
