25th SEA Games, Laos

Hundreds of fans packed the Budo Centre yesterday to cheer on 22-year-old Lao fighter Ms Phonenaly Sayarath who rewarded them with Laos ' first gold medal in judo.

As her supporters' shouts rose to a crescendo, Ms Phonenaly defeated her Thai opponent Sureerat Sadmaroeng in the final round of the women's under 52kg weight division.

Three Lao fighters competed in yesterday's final rounds at the Budo Centre.

The fans' enthusiasm was rewarded by Ms Phonenaly's gold medal and the efforts of two other Lao fighters, Ms Syamphone Phetnida in the women's under 48kg and Ms Chitchinda Bounphaaksone in the under 75kg, who both won silver medals.

Ms Syamphone and Ms Chitchinda were outmanoeuvred in their final rounds by their Vietnamese rivals Van Ngoc Tu and Nguyen Thi Kieu.

Ms Phonenaly's gold medal was her first and also the first for the Lao Judo Federation at this SEA Games c ompetition.

“I am really happy to have won gold at the SEA Games, especially since the event is taking place in my motherland. Thanks to all of my fans for cheering for me,” she said.

Ms Phonenaly has competed in the SEA Games on three occasions. The first was at the 23rd SEA Games in 2005 in the Philippines , and her second medal attempt was at the last SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.

“I finally have the top prize after winning bronze at the last SEA Games and getting nothing in the Philippines ,” she said.

She believes her success at this year's games is the result of two years of hard training in Japan , where she is studying.

Judo fighters competed for seven gold medals yesterday. Vietnam won three gold medals, while Myanmar , the Philippines and Thailand received one each.

Today, seven more gold medals are up for grabs in judo.

Laos has high hopes for two in the men's over 100kg and under 90kg categories, according to Lao judo trainer Chittiveth Nouankhaising.

Lao judo fighters will have a clearer idea of their gold medal chances at the 25th SEA Games in December after they compete in several upcoming international and national events.


The Lao Judo Federation plans to send judo fighters from different divisions to compete in six tournaments.

First, a team will compete at the 18th Vietnam International Judo Tournament in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam , from July 2-5.

Trainer assistant Mr Chittivet Nuankhaisy said he thought the team had a chance of winning a medal at this event.

A team will also compete in the Thailand International Judo Bangkok Championship from July 23-26 and the Asian Martial Art Games in Bangkok in early August.

Next, they will take part in the South East Asian Judo Championships, to be held at Lao-ITECC in Vientiane from August 6-7.

The team's next stop is the U-18 Asian Judo Championships in Japan from August 23-30. Next on the list is a national judo event at the Lao-Japan Budo Centre in Vientiane .

The federation will select the top fighters in various categories after witnessing their performance at these tournaments. Those selected will compete at the SEA Games.

Six males and five females will compete at the 18th Vietnam International Judo Tournament this week. Senior trainer Mashatoshi Kikuchi and the team travel to Vietnam today.

The six men are Varisa Sinthouboua (55kg), Olot Sasengboung (60kg), Santisouk Oupaxay (66kg), Chittakon Xayasan (73kg), Khanty Sithivong (100kg) and Sengsouly Manivong (over 100kg).

The five women are Mayouly Phanouvong (45kg), Kesone Ouanvilay (48kg), Phetnida Syamphone (52kg), Chipchinda Bounhphaaksone (57kg) and Chidavone Bouttavong (63kg).

The top two fighters in Laos this year are Varisa, 17, and Chittakon, 18. The made the national team for the SEA Games after winning medals at the eighth National Games in Champassak province.

This will be their first time at the tournament in Vietnam . They estimate their chances of success at 50 percent because they have never competed at the international level.

Vasira won a gold medal in the men's U-17 55kg category at the 13th Thai Championships in Khon Kaen province in April and a gold medal at last year's National Games.

He lives in Phonthan village, Xaysettha district, Vientiane , and is a first-year student at the Faculty of Engineering, National University of Laos.

Chittakon won a silver medal in the men's 73kg division at the Thai Championships and a bronze medal at the National Games. He lives in Phonthan village and is a graduate of Xaysettha district Secondary School.

After competing at the SEA Games, the two will probably go on to compete at the international level because they are still both young.

At last year's tournament in Vietnam , the Lao team won silver and bronze medals.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

Photo: Lao children practice Karate inside the Budo center in Vientiane, Laos.

(KPL) Lao-Japan Budo Centre to be used for Karatedo and Judo competitions in the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Vientiane will be complete by this year’s end.

The centre is located on the land of former Chao Anou Secondary School near the old National Stadium, Chanthaboury district, Vientiane.This centre will comprise with one building of indoor stadium, which could receive up to 600 seats.

Head of International Sports Department and National Sports Committee Mr Soulasith Oupravanh last week said, “The Lao-Japan Budo Centre Construction Project is implemented with a financial grant from the Japanese Government, which is worth more than 600 million Japanese Yen. The construction started from October 2008 and 20 per cent of the work have been implemented so far.”

The centre is scheduled to complete September this year three months before the 25th SEA Games opening.

This sporting facilities will be used for not only karatedo and judo competitions but also for badminton, table tennis and trakaw competitions.