Lao teenagers power towards 25th SEA Games
Young female Hmong students at Phonesavanh Secondary School are training hard in the hope of representing Laos in the weightlifting event at the SEA Games in Vientiane this December.
The students continue to improve under the guidance of a Thai coach.
Laos ' best weightlifter in the female 69kg division is 21-year-old Ms Bao Vang.
She is working hard to improve on her personal best weight of 75kg in the hope of representing her nation at the games.
She only began weightlifting six months ago and trains every day. She is currently in sixth class at Phonesavanh Secondary School .
Ms Bao does not expect to win a medal at the games because she has no experience at the international level.
She said the Thai team has very good weightlifters and expects they will dominate the event at the games.
She became interested in weightlifting after watching her friends at school training with a coach provided by the Lao Weight Lifting Federation.
Ms Bao is also a skilled football player. She was born in Veunkhaen village in Pakngum district, Vientiane and received scholarship to study at Phonesavanh Secondary School .
Another talented young female weightlifter is Ms Mailor Lorvangdua, who is in fifth class at Phonesavanh Secondary School .
Ms Mailor currently competes in the 52kg category but is aiming to move up to the 58kg division before the games.
She said weightlifting is a relatively new sport in Laos and is not very popular because people believe it is dangerous.
Ms Mailor is 16 years old and comes from Sibounheuang village in Thathom district in Xieng Khuang province. She said she will be very happy if she is selected to join the national team for the games.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes
