25th SEA Games, Laos

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.

SEA Games Organising Committee Chairman Somsavat Lengsavad said yesterday the games will raise Lao sport to a higher level because of the enthusiasm shown by local people in supporting Lao athletes.

“SEA Games fever has shown that people want to cheer for and support their athletes in popular sports so this leads me to believe Lao sport will improve,” he said.

Mr Somsavat said many foreigners had told him they couldn't believe that Lao people could be so interested in the games. “I don't want to congratulate my own country but many national leaders in this region have congratulated us on our good preparations and infrastructure which has contributed to the success of the games so far.”

He said many delegations had also congratulated him on the standard of the various sports venues including those used for shooting and table tennis, saying they were better than those in other countries in the region.

“They also said we should organise other international sports events in the future.”

Mr Somsavat said he was proud of the way local people welcomed various visitors during the games with warm smiles and hospitality. He also congratulated Lao athletes, saying the SEA Games was an important event in the history of Laos .

“Our athletes have done well, winning many gold, silver and bronze medals even though the games are still not over. Laos has never had such medal success. But this time we are the hosts so our athletes trained hard for this victory.”

Mr Somsavat talked about the Lao footballers, saying they had played very well to be in the semi-finals. In the past, Laos had never reached the semi-finals.

“Today, I can say our footballers have greatly improved because of their dedicated training. They are trying to do their best, especially as we are the hosts of this event.”

He urged people to continue to show their support for Lao athletes until the end of the games, saying cheering was the best source of energy and inspiration as they pursued their medal quest.

“All Lao people should show their support right up until the end of the games. And we should continue to give visitors a warm and polite welcome, as well as taking care of the environment so the country looks its best for all delegations, guests and tourists visiting Laos,” he said.





By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

Vientianetimes

Laos won its first gold medal in the men's singles poomsae (dancing style) taekwondo event at the Booyong Gymnasium at the National University of Laos yesterday.


Gold medallist Soukthavy Panyasit outside the Booyong Gymnasium.

At only 15 years of age, Soukthavy Panyasit won the medal in his first ever competition for the national taekwondo team in front of over 400 spectators.

Soukthavy, from Somsanouk village in Thakhaek district, Khammuan province, began training in taekwondo three years ago and showed sufficient promise to be selected by the Lao Taekwondo Federation for the SEA Games.

Soukthavy Panyasit and Soukthavone Manirard also won silver medals in the men's team poomsae event.

Soukthavy expressed his pride at winning the first gold medal for Laos and explained that he and his team-mates had gained much strength and confidence during a three month training course in the Republic of Korea in the lead up to the games. The team trained for five hours each day.

In the women's poomsae singles Kidavone Philavong from Xieng Khuang province won a silver medal for Laos .

This is the first SEA Games to feature the poomsae event, which consists of singles and team categories.

Lao taekwondo fighters won one silver and five bronze medals at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.

During training in the Republic of Korea , the Lao taekwondo team competed in the Korean Open at the National University of Seoul, with two fighters winning gold medals in the poomsae event.

At the current SEA Games 135 fighters from 11 countries are competing in the taekwondo competition, which features both poomsae and fighting events.

Results of Wednesday's poomsae events :



Men's singles:

Soukthavy Panyasit ( Laos ): gold.

San Shein Thet ( Myanmar ): silver.

Daniel Danny Harsono ( Indonesia ) and Cheat Khemara ( Cambodia ): bronze.

Women's singles:

Ya Min K-khine ( Myanmar ): gold.

Kidavone Philavong ( Laos ): silver.

Lee Jeng Yen ( Malaysia ) and Lessitra Draningrati ( Indonesia ): bronze.



Men's team:

Vietnam : gold.

Laos : silver.

The Philippines and Thailand : bronze.

Women's team:

The Philippines : gold.

Thailand : silver.

Vietnam and Indonesia : bronze.

Mixed pairs:

Vietnam : gold.

Thailand : silver.

The Philippines and Myanmar : bronze.





By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

Vientianetimes