Khamla Xayavong, 21, has become the latest Lao hero after scooping three gold medals in shooting events.
Yesterday Khamla struck gold in the 10m running target mixed event.
She won the event with a score of 358, beating silver medallist Ha Dang Hong of Vietnam, who scored 353 points, while Khamla's team-mate Hongkham Xayalath took the bronze medal with a score of 352.
Khamla also bagged a silver medal in the mixed 10m running target category, scoring a total of 1,040 points.
The gold medal in this event went to Vietnam with 1,043 points, while bronze went to Thailand with 977 points.
“I am very happy and proud to win three gold medals and a silver for the home fans. In the future I will try to improve my shooting skills and hope to be a national shooter forever if the nation needs me,” said an excited Khamla.
Before picking up her third gold medal yesterday, Khamla scored 367.0 to set a new SEA Games record in the women's 10m running target event on Saturday. The previous highest score in this event was 358.0. She collected another gold medal on the same day in the women's 10m running target team event.
Now sports fans around the country are in awe of Khamla because it is the first time in Lao sporting history that one competitor has won more than one gold medal at the SEA Games.
Three gold medals is a wonderful present for Khamla as she approaches her 22nd birthday on December 30.
So far, Lao shooters have amassed three gold, one silver and one bronze medal.
IT was a historic moment for Laos when the 25th South East Asian (SEA) Games was officially opened in a colourful ceremony steeped in cultural and historical significance at the new National Stadium in Vientiane last night.
Despite being a founder member when the Games debuted in 1959, Laos, known as “the ancient kingdom of a million elephants”, are hosting the biennial event for the first time.
The Games are also held in celebration of the 450th anniversary of Vientiane as the capital of Laos in 2010.
Tagged as the ‘Generosity, Amity, and Healthy Lifestyle’ Games, the hosts are keen to stress home the point that solidarity and friendship are more important than winning among the South East Asian neighbours.
About 7,000 students were involved in the cultural performances in the opening ceremony, which included dances titled “Welcome SEA Games, Sound of Jungle, Golden Rice Field, Fairness Candlelight, Sin-Xay the hero of an era, Bright Future and Binding Heart to Step Forward”.
The performances celebrated the abundance of cultural and ethnical diversity in the former French colony.
Among the dignitaries who graced the ceremony was Laos President Choummaly Sayasone and he was joined by the Prime Ministers of Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam.
Countdown the opening
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Torching
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All video clips from langvannavong Source: Thestar, Malaysia
Television broadcasting rights for the 25th SEA Games are open to bids from interested countries after the SEA Games Federation gave the go-ahead for the games organising committee to sell the rights.
The SEA Games Marketing and Benefit Committee has assigned the Phetchampa Advertising Company to act as the agent to sell broadcasting rights to the games.
The company's Director, Mr Khammoui Keomany, yesterday confirmed that the company is not concerned about the controversy surrounding the sale of rights to broadcast the games, which has never occurred for past games.
“I've heard from various media sources that the Thai Olympic Committee disagrees with the Lao decision to sell the broadcasting rights, as it has never happened before. But, I can confirm we will continue with our plans to do so because we have received permission and there is strong interest from participating countries,” he said.
Mr Khammoui said the Lao government has invested millions of dollars in organising the broadcasting of the games and the proceeds from selling the rights will recover some of that expenditure.
Last week, the company signed agreements to allow the RS International Broadcasting and Sports Management Company of Thailand and True Sport to broadcast the games. Two Vietnamese television channels have also purchased rights to broadcast the games.
“We are now in negotiations with companies from Indonesia , Malaysia and Singapore ,” he said.
Mr Khammoui said 25 percent of each purchase for broadcasting rights will go to the Olympic committee of the country making the acquisition.
Lao National Television (LNTV) will broadcast the games' opening and closing ceremonies, as well as 17 of the 25 sports included in the event.
LNTV Director Dr Bounchom Vongphet said the most popular sports will be broadcast on channels 1 and 3. LNTV will also cooperate with Lao Star Channel to ensure 10 hours of competition are broadcast every day, with Lao Star Channel showing two hours per day.
LNTV has organised training courses for its cameramen and producers to ensure the best quality broadcasting possible during the event. They continue to train staff to cover the biggest ever sporting event to come to Laos .
“We will have 11 news teams to report on all the daily competitions from the stadiums through fibre-optic and microwave links to the International Broadcasting Centre. Many staff still need to improve their skills before the games,” Dr Bounchom said.
The broadcasters will have the opportunity to test their readiness for the games at the pre-SEA Games men's football tournament in Vientiane from October 2-6.
During the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane , to run from December 9-18, action will be broadcast live on 14 television channels in six countries.
A meeting took place in Vientiane yesterday to discuss TV broadcasting fees and copyright.
Television networks that have agreed in principle to broadcast the SEA Games live are Brunei Radio and Television, Lao National Radio and Lao National Television, Lao Star Channel, Forever Group Co. Ltd (FRTB4-Myanmar), Media Corp TV Singapore Pte. Ltd, National Broadcasting Service of Thailand (NBT), TPBS, Channel 7, Channel 5, VTC Digital-Vietnam, VTV, TOT Co. Ltd., and CAT Telecom Co. Ltd.
The Phetchampa Advertising Company (PAC) is representing the Lao SEA Games Organising Committee (LAOSOC) and hosted the TV broadcasting rights meeting on duties and copyright for broadcasting in six Asean countries.
Vice President of the Lao National Olympic Committee, Mr Chanpheng Silattana, representatives from LAOSOC and from Asean countries attended the meeting.
PAC Director, Mr Khammoui Keomany, said he was looking forward to cooperating with LAOSOC and the Lao people to successfully selling TV broadcasting rights for the games.
Laos will use about 16 mobile broadcasting vans to cover all sports venues and will employ more than 144 people to work in production. The budget for the management of TV broadcasting is about 34 billion kip (US$4 million).
On the same day, LAOSOC officials reported progress on the sports complex and many other venues that are yet to be completed.
Venues include the main sports complex, indoor stadiums at the National University of Laos, the Chao-Anou football stadium, the Lao-ITECC arena and the Bungkha-nhong indoor stadium.
The venues are being built with the installation of broadcasting facilities in mind as provision of broadcasting equipment at each venue is a requirement for hosting the games. The national football stadium at Dongsanghin village in Xaythany district will be inspected and tested in June by LAOSOC before hosting the games' opening and closing ceremonies in December.
Laos has announced it will host a meeting to discuss television broadcasting rights for the 25th SEA Games which will run from December 9-18 in Vientiane , according to the Phetchampa Advertising Company.
The company is responsible for managing advertising and TV broadcasting rights issues for the games, following a decision by the SEA Games Organising Committee of Laos.
Phetchampa Advertising Company Director Mr Khammoui Keomany told local media last week the meeting on TV broadcasting rights will run from March 26-28 in Vientiane .
Mr Khammoui, who is also the chairman of the sub-committee on sales, commerce and copyright for the games, said regional interest was high.
“More than 40 television channels in Southeast Asia are interested in sending their representatives to attend the meeting this month.”
He said the main topics to be discussed would be host preparations for TV broadcasting, media ID cards, immigration, customs and shipping.
“We are open to participants if they have any questions on TV rights,” he said.
“We will invite representatives from each committee to report on their rules. For example, customs officials will talk about their arrangements for foreign media who will bring equipment to cover the games, such as cameras,” Mr Khammoui added.
He said the procedure for setting broadcast fees was clear.
“TV broadcasting fees will be set according to the rules of the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF).”
Cable TV, free TV, satellite, Internet and mobile phone broadcasting fees would all have to be determined, he said.
Prior to this meeting, the SEAGF has organised meetings aimed at improving the standard of SEA Games TV broadcasting to make it more professional.
At a SEAGF meeting in Vientiane last November, the process to sell broadcasting rights to the games was approved. SEAGF also approved 390 events in 25 sports to be scheduled for competition at this year's SEA Games to be broadcast live on screens at other competition venues.
Laos will use about 16 mobile broadcasting vans to cover all sports venues and will employ more than 144 people to work as cameramen and producers. The budget for the management of TV broadcasting is about 34 billion kip (US$4 million).
