25th SEA Games, Laos

ORGANIZERS of the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos, which will be hosting the games for the first time, said they need at least two more months to complete the construction of the venues and other facilities.

This was according to Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the 25th SEA Games Organizing Committee Somsavat Lengsavad and senior LNSC officials following an ocular inspection they conducted on the main stadium, the golf course, the main access roads and the Athletes’ Village.

Work was supposed to be finished by March, but according to the Games’ official Web site, the Chinese and Korean companies involved in the construction work are having a difficult time completing the job at the main venue in the Saythany district.

The foreign contractors said the delay was caused by several factors, one of which is the dry summer season, which is not suitable for growing grass inside the football stadium. The grass will only be planted in June, which is the start of the rainy season.

Also, the land around the golf course have yet to be cleared because “some people have yet to leave their homes to make way for the construction.”

Lao Golf Federation president Songkham Silaphets said the course would be completed in May, “as long as plans don’t change.”

Meanwhile, the access road is reportedly 75 percent complete and will be landscaped by May, while engineers from the two companies said it is also difficult to dig drainage channels and install electricity around the main stadium and other venues, prompting Somsavat to ask the Ministry of Public Works and Transport committee to cooperate with the contractors regarding these problems.

More than 400 Lao workers are involved in the construction at a cost of more than $100 million.

A ceremony to hand over the stadium to the Lao government will take place in September.

The 25 events of the 2009 SEA Games to be held in Vientiane in December will be scattered around the eight stadiums. Peter Atencio

www.manilastandardtoday.com

Special report the progress of the main stadium to be used for the opening and closing ceremony of the 25th SEA GAMES in the capital city of Vientiane, Laos.

(KPL) 25 Sport events of the 2009 SEA Games to be held in Vientiane in December and will have to compete in eight stadiums, which the Sport Committee in currently is preparing the places for fan club to cheer their athletes.The first stadium will be the new sport stadium (Central Stadium) in Saythany district, which will use to be the competition place for men football, track & field, swimming-jumping, archery, badminton, shooting, indoor-beach volleyball and golf.

The second point at the National University of Laos (Dong Dok campus) will have women football, petanque, wrestling, taekwondo, table tennis and weightlifting. The third point at the Lao-ITECC including sepak trakor, wushu and pencak silat.
The fourth stadium at the Chao Anou Stadium that will be competed in qualify round of men football, tennis, judo and karatedo.The fifth point will have only cycling, which will start at the Patouxay-to Tardthong and Dan Soung.

The sixth point at the Don Chan Palace Hotel for billiard and snooker competitions.The seventh place at the Vientiane Sport and Gymnastic Department (Buengkhayong) in Sisattanak district to be competed in Mouay Lao and shuttle cock
The last stadium will take place at the Army Stadium in Km 5 will have men football in qualify round.

As we known all stadiums for the 2009 Sea games already and the sport committee need to invite all people around the country go to cheer Lao athletes as well, and hope that all people will be an important encourage to the athletes in creating the famous for the Lao PDR.

First check of SEA Games complex set for April


Photo: The SEA Games main stadium as it looked last month, with construction now about 80 percent complete.

All facilities at the 25th SEA Games sports complex are now more than 80 percent complete, site manager Kiengkham Phoutchanhthavongsa said yesterday.

“We are confident that construction of all venues at the site will be finished by the end of March. We are now putting the finishing touches to the facilities at each venue, installing furniture and building roads around the complex,” he said.

“When construction is finished, there will be three months of checks of the facilities at all venues in the complex to make sure everything is functioning properly. The schedule of tests runs from April to June, after which we will hand over the complex to the Lao SEA Games Organising Committee.”

The 125-hectare sports complex is located in Dongsanghine village, Xaythany district, Vientiane , and houses the main stadium with a seating capacity of 20,000, which will be used for the football and track and field events and for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Other venues at the site comprise two indoor stadiums, each with a seating capacity of 3,000, an indoor swimming pool, tennis courts, and a shooting range.

Construction began on October 28, 2007, under a contract with the China Yunnan Construction Engineering Group Corporation. The cost of construction is more than US$80 million and has been arranged through a joint cooperation project between the Lao government and the China Development Bank.

The upgrading of other facilities, including indoor and football stadiums to be used for competition and training, is also in progress.

Meanwhile, work has finished on a new sports training centre on an 11-hectare site in Sikeud village, Naxaithong district.

The centre cost more than 35 billion kip (US$4 million) to build, financed by grant aid from the government of Vietnam . An opening ceremony will be held on January 18.

The centre comprises an office, sleeping quarters for athletes, a running track and playing field, a football pitch, a gymnasium and other facilities for sporting events. Up to 200 athletes will be able to train there every day.

Construction is also in progress on the athletes' village, which is located on a 42,000sqm site at the Dongdok campus, National University of Laos. It is scheduled for completion in August.

By Sisay Vilaysack

Laos will host 26 sports in SEA Games



KUALA LUMPUR: The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) have clarified that Laos will host 26 sports and not 25 in the SEA Games from Dec 9-18.

The OCM secretary general, Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, said that recent reports were wrong and gave a picture that some sports had been dropped arbitrarily by the hosts.

“Some even claim that archery, cycling and weightlifting were omitted from the programme of the 25th Games in Vientiane,” he said.

“At the last SEA Games Federation Council meeting on Nov 13, the final list of sports and events approved and announced were 25 sports and 390 events. This is wrong as the Games organising committee had wrongly included soft tennis as part of tennis. Soft tennis has to be considered a different sport from tennis because it comes under the jurisdiction of a different international federation. Hence the total number of sports in the Games is 26 and 390 events.”

Kok Chi added that for archery, there will be eight events — four more than in the Olympic Games with the inclusion of the compound bows competitions for men’s and women’s team and individual.

“There will be no track cycling events as Laos do not have a velodrome but road cycling and mountain bike racing have been included with a total of eight gold medals at stake,” he said.

“The hosts have not taken advantage of selecting sports in which they are strong in because irrespective of what sports they choose, Laos will not be among the top five in the final medal standings.

“The sports dropped are based on non-availability of international standard competition venues, lack of equipment, the non-existence of their national sports associations for a large number of sports, insufficient internationally qualified judges and technical officials and insufficient human and financial resources.”

Basketball and waterpolo may still be included as there are discussions on the Philippines and Singapore to fund them at the Games.

The sports in the Games programme are athletics, archery, swimming, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, cycling, football, golf, judo, karate, sepak takraw, shooting, soft tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, wushu, muay thai, petanque, silat, shuttlecock and fin swimming.

SOurce: thestar

SEA Games countdown starts
By Peter Atencio



THE countdown for the 2009 Southeast Asian Games in Laos has begun.

A beauty pageant, performances from various artists and a dazzling fireworks display greeted the public last night during the launch of the official countdown for the official staging of the 25th SEA Games at the Chao-anouvong stadium at the Anou Village of the Chanthbouly District in Vientiane.

The ceremony was organized by the Lao SEA Games Organizing Committee, in cooperation with the Ministry of Information and Culture and the Vientiane Administration Office.

The event featured the selection of the final 11 Miss SEA Games ambassadors, who will lead athletes of each country into the stadium during the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games when it is held from Dec. 9 to 18 at the capital city of Laos.

A countdown clock, placed at a nearby shopping mall, has also began ticking.

Last month, the SEA Games Federation approved 390 events in 25 sports for the Games.

Athletes from the 11 member-nations of Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Timor Leste and host Laos are expected to send their entries from the different sports in the Games’ calendar.

Thailand is assisting Lao authorities organize the Games by providing 179 million baht ($5.18 million) in funding assistance for the construction of a stadium in Beungkhayong Village, Sisattanak District of Vientiane.

Aside from the Thais, China and Vietnam have also provided additional funding to be used to construct other facilities which will be used for the Games.

Laotian officials said the track and field facility will be completed in October 2009

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=sports3_jan1_2009

Vietnam's aquatic sports association sends coaches to Laos

HANOI, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Aquatic Sports Association will send experts to train Lao swimmers for the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos, local newspaper Vietnam News reported on Wednesday.

Swimming coach Nguyen Manh Tuan, who competed at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, said he would help Lao athletes to sharpen their skills.

The SEA Games is expected to take place next December. The Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam has agreed to finance 100,000 U.S. dollars for the SEA Games opening ceremony.

Photo: Mr Somsavat Lengsavad speaks at the sports committee's office.

Athlete transport and accommodation, public health and media coverage were some of the items on the agenda of the Lao National Sports Committee when it met yesterday to discuss preparations for the 25th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

The SEA Games will be held in Vientiane in December 2009, marking the first time Laos has hosted the event.

SEA Games Organising Committee Chairman and Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, spoke at the meeting and said Lao people would be proud the country was capable of planning such a large sporting event.

“Our target is to win 25 gold medals, but the athletes will have to win fairly,” he said.

“We will not stand for any cheating, especially involving drugs. If we find out that any referee has been biased then we will reprimand them.”

More than 700 cars and buses will be used to transport athletes and officials during the SEA Games, which will run from December 9-18.

Mr Somsavat said transport links were currently being upgraded and the new national football stadium in Xaythany district of Vientiane was finished and ready to use.

Lao sports officials are now selecting the best athletes in their respective sports, and China has offered to train some Lao athletes ahead of the event.

Away from the sporting field, the committee will make its final selection of female ambassadors for the SEA Games on New Year's Eve, when it will crown a number of young women with the title of Miss SEA Games.

The committee will meet again on Friday to discuss the budget for the games.

Also attending the meeting was Minister to the Prime Ministers Office and Lao National Sports Committee President, Dr Phouthong Seng-akhom, and other deputy ministers.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

In welcoming the upcoming New Year, all Lao sports fans will not only celebrate the 43rd anniversary of sport in this country, but also hope that celebrations will motivate Lao athletes to success at the 25th South East Asian (SEA) Games as host nation for 2009.

Laos’ main hope as hosts of the SEA Games will be an overwhelming home team advantage that will result in more gold medals and improve on the country’s performance in previous games. Apart from international competitions such as the SEA Games, the country’s main arena for sports is the National Games.

According to the Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Somsavat Lengsavad, who spoke at the closing of the 2008 National Games on December 22, this year’s event was a great experience for officials, athletes and coaches in their preparation for the 25th SEA Games, which will take place in Laos next year.

This year’s eighth National Games was hosted by Champassak province for the second time, and the number of athletes and sports have increased dramatically since the first games in 1985. The main goals of the National Games are not only for development of sport, but also to promote and strengthen friendship between athletes, competitors and supporters from different parts of the country.

The founding day for Lao sports was July 13, 1966, as declared at the third congress of the Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC). This was also the day the Lao People’s Army’s sports division was officially opened at a base in Huaphan province. This was an important milestone in the history of Lao sport. Five months later, athletes competed in an international event for the first time when they went to the Games of New Force in Cambodia. Laos sent 22 athletes who competed in shooting and volleyball events.

Since the country’s liberation in 1975, sports have greatly contributed to national protection and development. Lao sports have expanded into local communities throughout the country. Sport plays an important role in international relations and participation in international competitions brings awareness and success for the country. Since 1975, the Lao government has been developing sport by training coaches and administration officers.

The LNSC held the first National Games in 1985 in Vientiane. There were 650 athletes from five zones and eight ministries competing in 12 sporting events. Vientiane came top of the final medal tally. The second National Games were hosted by Savannakhet province in 1987. Again there were 12 sports events, but athlete numbers had risen to more than 1,376 from seven zones and nine ministries. The capital city’s team retained their winner’s title.



From then on the National Games were to be held every three years in different provinces, but sometimes the games were delayed because of funding problems. The third National Games took place in Khammuan province in 1991 and was attended by 920 athletes from nine zones competing in 11 sports. In 1994, the fourth National Games was hosted by Champassak province, and attracted 1,600 athletes. Competitors took part in 14 sports and came from nine zones, while the leader of the medal tally was Vientiane again. In 1997, the event was hosted by Luang Prabang province and athlete numbers continued to grow. This time the event attracted 1,668 athletes from 10 zones, competing in 14 sports. The Vientiane team finished on top.

The sixth National Games were held in Vientiane in 2000. For the first time, the number of athletes competing was over 3,000 and the number of sports had increased to 28. The Vientiane team retained its top ranking. The seventh National Games was hosted by Savannakhet province in 2005 and attended by teams from 17 provinces and 13 ministries. This time there were 22 sports and 3,257 athletes. Vientiane again won the final medal tally.

This year’s eighth National Games ran from December 13-22 in Champassak province, and ended with big surprises as the home team claimed the top ranking in the final medal tally. For the first time ever, previous champions Vientiane slumped to third place. This time, about 6,000 athletes competed in 24 sports, representing 17 provinces, 10 ministries and two organisations.

SISAY VILAYSACK
Vientianetimes

Officials from the Lao SEA Games Organising Committee and Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sport met on Wednesday in Vientiane to discuss preparations for the 2009 SEA Games. –Photo Sisay

The Lao SEA Games Organising Committee (LAOSOC) met with delegates from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports in Vientiane on Wednesday to discuss progress on preparations for the 25th SEA Games.

The meeting was chaired by Lao National Sports Committee Vice President, Mr Somphou Phongsa, and the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports' Permanent Secretary Dr Sasithara Pichaichannarong.

The two sides discussed preparations for the games including the compilation of competition technical teams, construction of training and competition facilities, traffic and transport arrangements, volunteer organisers, television broadcasting and accommodation for athletes and officials.

Thai officials reported on the progress of an indoor stadium upgrade which the Thai government is providing 43 billion kip (179 million baht) funding for. The stadium in Beungkhayong village, Sisattanak district of Vientiane will host the shuttlecock and muay events during the games.

The facility is on track for completion in October next year, the meeting was told.

Mr Somphou, on behalf of LAOSOC, thanked the Thai government for its support in upgrading the Beungkhayong indoor stadium and other preparations for the event, which will be held in December 2009.

“In preparing for the games we have also received generous support from other neighbouring countries including Vietnam and China ,” he said.

Last month a meeting of the SEA Games Federation decreed the event would consist of 390 events across the 25 sports of athletics, aquatic sports (swimming, diving and water polo), archery, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, cycling, football, golf, judo, karatedo, sepak takraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and soft tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu, muay, fin swimming, petanque, shuttlecock and pencak silat.

Competition venues are the national sports complex at Km 16 in Dongsanghin village, Xaythany district; Don Chan Palace; Booyoung and Olympasia indoor stadiums at the National University of Laos; Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre; Chao-anouvong stadium in Anou village, Chanthabouly district; the Army stadium at Km 5 and the Vientiane Sports Department in Beungkhayong village, Sisattanak district.



By Sisay Vilaysack

The final selection of 100 Ms SEA Games representatives will take
place on Friday at the National Culture Hall in Vientiane.

More than 200 girls have applied to the contest, but only 100 will be
chosen for the role.

Eleven country placard bearers will be selected from the 100
representatives to take part in the stadium parade that precedes the
games, which will be held next December in Vientiane.

The 100 selected participants will introduce themselves to the public
for the first time at Patuxay Monument at the start of the countdown
to the SEA Games, which will begin on New Year's Eve.

Organising sub-committee member, Mr Sopha Inthavong, said nationwide
applications opened at the end of July, and the three-part selection
process would culminate in the announcement this Friday.

Applicants were required to be Lao citizens, aged between 18 and 25,
and have a pleasant personality and good manners.

Participants also had to be single and be communicative, intelligent,
knowledgeable, talented and able to speak English.

Before the candidates were presented yesterday to the organising
committee at the National Culture Hall, they received training in
social etiquette and ceremonial presentation. Mr Sopha, who is also
one of the trainers, said training would continue after the selection
process.

“After their selection, the 100 Ms SEA Games representatives will
return to the National Culture Hall stage, where they will practise
how to nop (perform the traditional greeting), stand and act in a
socially appropriate manner,” Mr Sopha said.

He said those who were selected would also learn how to speak English
and take part in various activities, such as visiting important sites
in Vientiane like That Luang and the Hor Phra Keo museum.

They will be trained by staff who will give them suggestions on the
wearing of traditional clothes and tennis dress, before their public
presentation on December 31.

They will also learn how to dance to a selection of songs and rhythm,
and be guided in their choice of clothes.

An 18-year-old participant in the contest, Ms Soudaphone Tilakhoun,
who attends Pakpasak Technical School , said she was persuaded by her
friend to apply. She is hopeful of being selected in the group of 100
on Friday.

“ Laos will host the SEA Games for the first time, and I wanted to
play a part in serving the nation,” she said. “As a Lao girl I want to
give other people an insight into Lao culture, both in Laos and
overseas.”

Another participant, Ms Bouasavanh Phanthamit, 18, from Luang Prabang,
who studies at Rattana Business Administration College , said she too
wanted to serve her country while building her confidence.

“Actually I'm shy and never thought I could take part in the selection
process, but I've discovered I'm confident enough to go through with
it,” she said.

By Vientiane Times

The 25th SEA Games stadium will be used for an inauguration of 2009 SEA Games hosted by Laos, is confirmed that it would be completed in timely manner, said a senior official is responsible for the construction.

The new football stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies of the games will take place is 65-80 percent complete, the indoor stadium is 90 percent complete, the petanque field is 80 percent complete and the taekwondo court is 95 percent complete

“Laos has enough budget for the construction of 25th SEA Games stadium, thanks to the financial support of Chinese Development Bank worth about US$ 80 million,” Meanwhile the Government has already made a decision to fork out a minimum of 69 billion kip to improve old existed stadiums in Vientiane Capital. All of them would be used for the football competition.

The construction work is under laying out water pipe system, land clearance and road construction access to the stadium, which expects to be completed before inauguration on December 2009.

The Laos National Sports Complex is located about 20 Km from the centre of Vientiane City and comprises a 20,000 seating capacity main stadium, a 2,000 seating capacity indoor aquatics complex, with a outdoor warm-up pool, a Tennis centre consisting of 2,000 seating capacity centre court plus 6 other tennis court, two indoor stadiums each with seating capacity of 3,000 and a indoor shooting range with 50 seats.

The sports complex is in a sprawling 185 ha site, with an Olympic Park, adequate parking lots, lakes and open spaces. An archery centre could be constructed in the open space next to the shooting range. There is adequate space for a trap and skeet range to be added later, if required.

“The stadium will be competed three months in advance in order to inspect its standard,” Mr Khiengkham stated further.

The 2009 SEA Games in Laos is being kept over eyes on from many countries.



Scale model of the Laos national Sports Complex. The indoor aquatics complex is the the foreground, with the tennis centre on its right (marked as 6). The National Stadium with the warm-up track on its left. The two indoor stadia are on the right of the National Stadium, and are marked as 3 & 4. The shooting range is at the top of the model. The Olympic Park is at the top of the model.