Lao fin swimming team confident of 25th SEA Games medals
The Lao Swimming Federation is confident its athletes can claim medals in the fin swimming event at the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane this December.
The federation sent six male and five female fin swimmers to train at Da Nang provincial Sport Training Centre in Vietnam from April to August 15, with support lent by the Vietnamese government.
After a short break the team will continue training at the centre in Vietnam until November 5. Funding for this second training camp will be provided by both the Lao and Vietnamese governments.
The Lao team is under the guidance of Vietnamese trainer Mr Nguyenmanh Tuan.
The squad will train at a facility in Dongsanghin village in Xaythany district when they return from Vietnam
A federation official, Mr Phanma Toulihong, said Lao fin swimmers are improving at their training camp in Vietnam .
The team will compete in the 3rd Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi , Vietnam on October 30 to November 8.
Mr Phanma said the federation is confident the swimmers will improve their personal best times at the event but believe they may struggle to win medals.
However, the times recorded by the athletes during their training camp indicate they are a strong possibility of winning medals at the SEA Games.
At the 22nd SEA Games in 2003 in Thailand , the Lao men's fin swimming team won a bronze medal in the 4x100 metre relay event.
Mr Phanma said the same team that won the bronze medal would compete at this year's games.
Fin swimming was not included in sports for the 23rd SEA Games in the Philippines in 2005 nor the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes
