The Lao Sepak Takraw Federation and SEA Games committees have arranged a four-nations Sepak Takraw Test Tournament to give players a trial run and test their preparations for the games.
The federation held a press conference on Monday, urging the public to cheer on the players and give encouragement to all Lao participants in the event, scheduled for October 16 and 17.
Federation President Adsaphangthong Siphandone said the competing countries would be Malaysia , Thailand , Vietnam and Laos .
“Our objective is to test our players as well as the preparations of all the SEA Games committees involved. This will be another opportunity for our players to get more experience and the committees can also test out their arrangements and get some experience before the main event in December,” he said.
The tournament will comprise more than 80 people, including players and delegations from the participating countries. Events will consist of men's and women's doubles and men's and women's singles.
“We will follow the standard rules set by the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation. We'll also broadcast the tournament on Lao National Television and I hope everyone will cheer on our players,” Mr Ardsaphangthong said.
The Lao sepak takraw team recently competed in an international sepak takraw event held earlier this month in Vientiane , attended by teams from China , Japan , Malaysia , Laos , Thailand and Vietnam . Laos won two bronze medals in the men's doubles and singles events.
The Lao team also took part in the 24th King's Cup Sepak Takraw World Championships 2009 in Bangkok , Thailand , in July, in which 21 countries competed.
Laos won one gold medal in the women's singles, two silver medals in the men's and women's doubles, and a bronze medal in the men's doubles. At last year's King's Cup, Laos won three medals - one gold and two bronze.
More than 40 sepak takraw players, 21 men and 21 women, have been training at the Savannakhet Sepak Takraw Centre since April in preparation for the SEA Games.
SEA Games Technical Committee Chairman Phouvanh Vongsouthi said this week's tournament was important because it would allow all committees involved in the games to check the progress of their preparations. If any problems arose they would be able to address them and smooth out any glitches before the games in December.
Journalists at the press conference asked the federation whether the players taking part in this week's tournament would be those selected to compete in the SEA Games.
Federation Secretary Somsavath Phongsa said Laos would certainly be entering its SEA Games team and believed that Vietnam and Malaysia would do the same, but could not speak for Thailand .
“We actually invited eight countries to attend the tournament but we received only three positive responses,” he said.
By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes
