Photo: Khotsaya, Lao football player is now training in Vietnam
Eleven Lao sports squads are currently training for the 25th SEA Games in foreign countries.
These training camps are expected to provide additional coaching techniques and competition experience to help build confidence and bring Lao sporting teams up to international standard.
Lao athletes training in other countries say the camps improve their motivation as well as their skills and they are pleased they will be stronger competitors for their country when it hosts the games.
At the last SEA Games in Thailand in 2007, many of the Lao teams that had trained overseas were more successful than those that had not.
Vietnam has been an important supporter of Laos in providing advisors and training facilities. Sixteen Lao wrestlers and their trainers have been training in Vietnam since April, while 20 pencak silat fighters are also currently training there.
Other Lao teams to train in Vietnam include seven divers, who are there from June to August, as well as 14 swimmers training from April to August.
Thirty-four male footballers are training in Vietnam from July to November, while some wushu san shou fighters are there from May to November. Another group of wushu san shou and wushu tao lu teams are training in China from August to October.
Five Lao female cyclists trained in Malaysia from July to August and participated in international competitions before returning to Vientiane . Five male cyclists also trained in Malaysia for one month recently.
Fourteen Lao taekwondo fighters have been training in South Korea since June and are expected back in November, while six wrestlers are training in Mongolia from April to September.
Eighteen karatedo fighters and their trainers have arrived back in Vientiane after training in Vietnam recently.
Sixteen judo fighters and trainers are training in Vietnam from August until November.
Some members of the Lao boxing team are in Milan , Italy from August to September. The boxers will fight in the World Championships in Milan before returning to Laos .
Twenty Lao shuttle cock players are training in Vietnam from August to October.
Currently, four Thai trainers are training the Lao athletics team for the track and field events at the games.
The men's football squad is under the guidance of an Austrian coach.
After returning from the training camps in other countries, the athletes will continue their training in camps in Vientiane .
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes
