The Lao table tennis team is ready to take on the best opponents from neighbouring countries in events running from December 8-15 at the 25th SEA Games.
The team tested their skills at the 19th Asian Table Tennis Championship in India last month and have progressed even further since.
The Lao Table Tennis Federation selected five male and five female players to compete in the events. They are being trained by Thai and Lao experts at the federation's courts.
The federation's Secretary Ge neral, Ms Somchay Vongsa, said as well as the first team line-up six substitutes were also training for the event.
Currently the federation is installing equipment at the courts at the National University of Laos. This venue hosted the National Table Tennis Competition in September.
Technical officials qualified at the international level from India and Malaysia will assist in the competition and umpire teams from neighbouring countries will also adjudicate matches. The federation also has more than 100 staff and volunteers working at the games.
Earlier this year, the International Table Tennis Federation and the Lao National Sports Committee held a training course for federation officials.
Nine countries are sending table tennis teams to the SEA Games: Vietnam , Singapore , Malaysia , Indonesia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Thailand , Cambodia and Laos . Brunei and Timor Leste will not compete in this sport.
All of the teams will arrive in Vientiane by December 5.
On December 6, each country will confer with umpires to assist in the running of table tennis events.
In the first round five male Lao players will compete, as well as three male players in the team event. The women's team event starts on December 8.
The women's team won a bronze medal at the ASEAN University Games in Hanoi , Vietnam , in 2006.
Many of the Lao team took part in the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes
