25th SEA Games, Laos

Lao pencak silat athletes had the opportunity to test their skills at an event held at Lao-ITECC on Monday.

After training in Hanoi , Vietnam , for six months this year, the national team is currently finalising SEA Games preparations at the National Sports Training Centre.

At the warm-up meet, athletes in the 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70kg weight divisions contested the fighting event, while mixed doubles teams showed their skills in the dancing event.

The Lao Pencak Silat Federation's Deputy Technical Secretary, Mr Vanxay Baophom, said the event primarily included fighters listed as substitutes for the games, a move to ensure top-line fighters were not injured so close to the big event.

The federation has selected males in the 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and 85kg weight divisions for the games, as well as females in the 50, 55, 60 and 65kg weight classifications. A number of substitute fighters have been named for each category.

The federation used yesterday's event to test the newly refurbished indoor stadium, as well as organisers' readiness for the games, by including announcements, a flag raising ceremony and medal presentations.

The federation declared the event a success, with just some minor adjustments to be made before the start of the SEA Games.

Lao-ITECC will host the sepak takraw, wushu and pencak silat events during the games.

The SEA Games Organising Committee has finished installing arenas, seating and sports equipment at the stadium. Each of the three arenas has seating for 400 spectators.

A total of 18 Lao pencak silat athletes trained in Vietnam from June to November under the guidance of Mr Nguyen Huy Dong from Vietnam and Mr Sulrianto from Indonesia .

The team has been supported by the Lao National Sports Committee and the Vietnamese government.

Mr Sulrianto coached the Lao national team during the last SEA Games in 2007 where they won a bronze medal.

Laos also won bronze medals in pencak silat at the 18th SEA Games in Thailand in 1995 and 19th SEA Games in Indonesia in 1997.

Competitions at this year's games will consist of a tanding (fighting style) event for men in the 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 85kg categories, and 50, 55, 60 and 65kg categories for women. There will also be single and teams seni (dancing style) competitions.

Vientianetimes

The indoor stadium at Lao-ITECC will host the sepak takraw, wushu and pencak silat events during the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane next month.

The stadium comprises two floors on which the SEA Games Organising Committee has modified two rings especially for the wushu and pencak silat events.

Each arena has seating for 400 spectators and offices for event officials.

The sepak takraw and wushu events will take place on the first floor of the stadium, while pencak silat contests will be held on the upper floor which is still undergoing renovations.

SEA Games Construction Project Manager Khiengkham Phouthchanhthavong said 750 million kip was spent on improving the indoor stadium and arenas.

Mr Khiengkham said the three arenas will be of international standard and have excellent facilities for athletes, officials and spectators.

The national pencak silat and wushu teams are currently training at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeut village, Naxaithong district.

The wushu team won one silver and two bronze medals at the last SEA Games in Thailand in 2007, while the pencak silat team won a bronze medal.

Pencak silat events will consist of weight divisions ranging from 45 to 80kg for males and 45 to 65kg for females. The Lao Pencak Silat Federation has sent the national team to train in Hanoi , Vietnam , until the end of this month.

The 21 male and four female fighters are training in Vietnam under the guidance of Indonesian and Vietnamese trainers.

Eleven male and five female wushu fighters in various weight divisions are currently training at the National Sports Training Centre under the guidance of Mr Cui Jian Gong from China .

The Lao Judo Federation hosted the East Asia Judo Championships at the indoor stadium in August to test judo athletes and event organisers in the lead-up to the games.



By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

Lao pencak silat team will test their skills against Vietnamese opponents when they train in Hanoi , Vietnam , from June to November.

The training camp in Vientiane will be the site of a selection process by Vietnamese coach Nguyen Huy Dong and trainer Thongkhoun Khamsysavathdy, who will choose an 11 member squad to compete in the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane in December.

The team will have the opportunity to compete in the 3rd Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi in August.

The training camp and match experience in Vietnam will assist the Lao athletes in their preparations for the SEA Games.

Vice President of the Lao Pencak Silat Federation, Mr Khamphoui Bounyalith, said the team is ready to continue their training in Hanoi after training at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeuth village, Naxaithong district, since April.

Mr Khamphoui said the squad are all committed to training hard and improving in the hope of winning medals when their home nation hosts the games.

The Lao National Sports Committee is financing the Lao team's travel to the training camp in Vietnam , while the Vietnamese government is providing in-camp support for the squad.

Mr Nguyen arrived in Vientiane last February and has been coaching the national team ever since, initially at the national camp and then the national training centre.

Mr Nguyen led the Vietnamese team to success in the 20th SEA Games in Brunei in 1999, 21st SEA Games in Malaysia in 2001 and the 22nd SEA Games in Vietnam in 2003, as well as other international tournaments.

The Lao team was coached by an Indonesian trainer for the last SEA Games in Thailand where they won a bronze medal.

A bronze medallist in the men's 60kg category of the pencak silat at those games, Mr Olane Sihalath, is hopeful of winning a medal at this year's games.

Pencak silat events at the games will comprise tanding (fighting style) in the men's 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and over 80kg categories and women's 50, 55, 60 and 65kg categories. There will also be contests in seni (dancing style), tunggan (singles) and ganda (doubles) for men and women with no weight divisions.

The Lao team took bronze at the 18th SEA Games in Thailand in 1995 and at the 19th SEA Games in Indonesia in 1997.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

Mr. Olan Sihalat, a Pencak Silat athlete from Laos, the bronze medalist from the 24th SEA Games in Thailand, is ready to fight for gold in the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane, Laos 2009.

Mr. Olan is now at the training center (Sikeut) in preparing for the SEA Games. He mentioned that he is now improving alot in both physical and metal conditions, thanks to all the coaches, friends and family who always support him. "I have to practice harder to complete with the stronger team from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. I will try my best to get gold medal for Laos", said Olan.