25th SEA Games, Laos

More than 100 hundred Lao athletes will continue to train in Vientiane in preparation for the 25th SEA Games next month after successfully completing training programmes in neighbouring countries.

Members of the pencak silat, fin swimming and wrestling teams are currently training in Vietnam and will return to Vientiane this month.

The swimming squad is training in Bangkok , Thailand , while the taekwondo team (artistic style) is practising in the Republic of Korea and divers are preparing in Beijing , China . All will return to Vientiane by the end of this month.

Lao athletes are eager to perform well at their home games after improving their skills at training camps abroad over the past year.

It is expected the fin swimming, swimming and diving teams will struggle to win medals at the event because they have only had a short preparation period and lack experience at the international level.

However, the martial arts teams are expected to perform well at the games and the Lao Wrestling Federation currently has 11 male and three female athletes training in Vietnam .

A member of the Lao wrestling coaching team, Mr Manolom, said the federation will select a final squad for the games when the team returns to Laos .

The national shuttlecock team concluded a four month training camp in Hanoi , Vietnam , this month. During that time the team won a bronze medal at a Vietnamese national event and two silver and two bronze medals in the Asian Indoor Games.

The team was buoyed by their recent successes and are confident of claiming medals when their nation hosts the regional sporting event in December.

The boxing, archery, taekwondo, karatedo, and athletics teams are currently training at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeud village, Naxaithong district.

The petanque, table tennis, volleyball and other squads are training at camps around Vientiane .

It is expected all 25 national teams competing in the games will be training in Vientiane by the end of this month.

During the games, the track and field, swimming, fin swimming, diving, volleyball and beach volleyball, badminton, tennis, football, archery and shooting events will all be held at the National Stadium in Xaythany district.

The billiards and snooker contests will be held at the Don Chan Palace hotel, while the boxing and wrestling events will be held in the Olympasia gymnasium at the National University of Laos Dongdok campus.

The university will also host the table tennis and petanque events, while the weightlifting will take place at the nearby Phonsavanh School in Dongdok village.

The golf event will take place at the SEA Games golf course in Phokham village, Xaythany district.

The judo and karatedo events will be contested at the Lao-Japan Budo Centre in Anou village, Chanthabouly district, while the sepak takraw, pencak silat, and wushu events will be held at the Lao-ITECC.

The muay (kick-boxing) and shuttlecock events are to be held at the indoor stadium in Beung Kha Ngong village.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes

The Lao Wrestling Federation is gearing up to host a major wrestling competition among South East Asian nations in Vientiane in December.

The federation wants the contest to be an opportunity to test the chances of the Lao wrestling team to achieve gold in the 25 th SEA Games in 2009.

The federation does not yet have a stadium for the competition due to a lack of funding, and there no plans for the construction of a stadium this year.

“We hope to hold the contest at the training centre of the Lao Taekwondo Federation, if we ask for assistance from them,” said the Vice President of the Lao Wrestling Federation, Mr Bouathong Southammavong.

The Booyoung Company from the Republic of Korea is already building a taekwondo training centre in Vientiane ; the company began work on the project in November last year, and the building is set to be completed by April. The Asia Association's Wrestling Committee President, Mr Chang Kew Kim, will present equipment to the federation in March. During this visit, Mr Chang will also survey the taekwondo centre for suitability.

“We believe that more people will be interested in wrestling after the competition in December, and we also want to promote the sport to increase our chances of selecting a good team for the 25 th SEA Games,” said Mr Bouathong.

Mr Chang will recruit a skilled trainer to help improve the Lao wrestling team ahead of the games.

The Lao committee and the head trainer, Mr Manolom Phinith, discussed with Mr Chang after the team's success in the 24 th games in Thailand last year the possibility of receiving help from the association.

The wrestling events in December will consist of men's and women's wrestling events in eight categories.

Four men and two women wrestlers competed in the 24 th SEA Games, when Khonekeo Thatthavong in the 74kg category and Vilakone Vongphachane in the 60 kg category both won bronze medals.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes