25th SEA Games, Laos

Spectators around the country have been impressed by the high standard of Lao martial arts fighters and proud of the medals they won have at the SEA Games so far.

Martial arts disciplines being contested at this year's games comprise taekwondo, wushu, judo, muay, boxing, karatedo, wrestling, and pencak silat.

Competing athletes reached a high standard of physical fitness ahead of the games, with many training in camps in neighbouring countries. They also reached higher standards in recent international competitions than in the past.

At the Lao-ITECC indoor stadium on Sunday, the Lao wushu team won two gold medals in the men's and women's doubles in duilian (pair) events.

Soudaphone Chanlapheng, 14, and Ketsuda Vongphakdy, 19, were both gold medalists in the women's duilian event, while Anousone Sasabo, 20, and Bountang Song, 18, won gold in the men's duilian event.

This has been the most successful start ever for the Lao wushu team.

Wushu competitions are taking place at the Lao-ITECC indoor stadium from December 13 to 17.

Taekwondo featured earlier in the games from December 10-12, with the Lao team taking three gold medals.

The Lao team has never won any medals at international level in the dancing style but at this year's games they have the home team advantage and are also much better prepared.

At the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007 they won a gold and two bronze medals in the fighting style.

Tao lu events at the 25th SEA Games include changquan (long fist), nanquan (southern fist), taijiquan (shadow boxing), daoshu (broadsword), jiashu (sword), nandao (southern broadsword), jianjijian (taiji sword), qiangshu (spear), gunshu (cudgel), nangun (south-style cudgel), duilian (pair events) with and without weapons and jiti (group or team events).

Lao gold medallist in the men's 54kg flyweight division Phoutthavong Outhasak found it easy to beat his Cambodian opponent Chhoy Bouthorn 13-1 in the final at Booyong Gymnasium last Saturday.

Phoutthavong beat his Thai opponent Pen-ek Karaket 5-4 before going on to beat the Cambodian fighter.

Phoutthavong had earlier won a silver medal in the men's 58kg division in Thailand 's 24th SEA Games.

Still to come are the boxing, wrestling, muay, and judo events, which will be held at the Lao-Japan Budo Centre from December 15-17.



By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong

The Lao Petanque Federation (LPF) is confident Lao sport's fans will see the national flag raised in victory at the petanque arena during the 25th SEA Games, which will take place in Vientiane from December 9 to 18.

This year, Laos is confident of winning more gold medals in petanque, after claiming one gold in the 2001 ( Malaysia ) and 2003 ( Vietnam ) SEA Games and two gold medals in each of the 2005 ( Philippines ) and 2007 ( Thailand ) games.

There will be 11 gold medals up for grabs in this year's games, with the Lao team hoping to claim at least four of them.

LPF President Khammoui Keomany said on Thursday “Despite claiming just two gold medals at each of the last two games, we are aiming to win four this year with the support of our home crowd.”

“However, we face strong rivals from Cambodia , Vietnam and Thailand , who are world champions. But I believe our team can successfully retain their two golds from 2007 and claim another two.”

“The federation will invite a preliminary squad to begin training early next month, with a final squad to be announced a month before the games begin,” said Mr Khammoui.

“From previous experience we have found that selecting a preliminary squad ensures that all the team members train hard right up until the event starts because they want to ensure they have the opportunity to represent their country.”

LPF is also working to improve the skills of petanque referees in the lead-up to the games. This week the federation sent 10 referees to a three-day training course in Thailand organised by the World Petanque Federation.

The federation will select Lao referees attending the course to adjudicate at this year's games.

By Sisay Vilaysack
Vientianetimes

Semarang, Central Java (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has set itself the target of grabbing 61 gold medals, 12 silver, and five bronze medals in the upcoming SEA Games to be held in Laos, December 2009.

Ahmad Sutjipto, head of the Prominent Athletes Program (PAL) said here on Tuesday, Indonesia should at least get 56 gold medals to be in the third rank of the SEA Games.

"If we could win 56 gold medals in the multi-event of the Southeast Asian countries, we could secure the third position," he said.

He said Indonesia targeted to be in the position of the big three in the SEA Games. In SEA Games 2007, Indonesia ranked fourth on the list of medal winners after Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Indonesia hoped to win the 18th place in the Asian Games 2010.

Korean consultant to the Lao Badminton Federation, Mr Jae Jin Kim, will help the national badminton team's quest for a medal at the 25 th SEA Games in Vientiane in 2009.

Secretary General of the Lao Badminton Federation Bounleua Sinxayvoravong signed an agreement with the Chief Executive Officer of InnoMax Corporation from the Republic of Korea , Mr Jae Jin Kim, at the Lao National Sports Committee's office on Tuesday.

Mr Jae has pledged more than 200 million kip (US$25,000) to the Lao badminton team, to enable them to travel to the Republic of Korea for training in May. Accompanying the team will be a number of Lao Badminton Federation officials, who will gain valuable experience in competition organisation and management from their Korean counterparts.

At present a Malaysian badminton coach is training the Lao team in preparation for the Vientiane Badminton Open to be held at the National University of Laos in April.

“We have invited badminton teams from many countries to attend the Badminton Open, including teams from South East Asia, the Pacific and Europe ,” said the Assistant to the President of the federation, Mr Somsaveng Sengsylavong.

“However, the arena lacks special impact-absorbing flooring as we have a limited budget for the event,” he said.

Source: vientianetimes