Vovinam trainer Mr Viengsouk Hangngeun and martial artists pose during training in Vientiane last week.           --Photo Viengsouk

Lao athletes prepare to head for SEA Games

Some of Laos’ athletes will travel to Vietnam in the next few days in readiness for the South-East Asian (SEA) Games, which take place from May 12-23. 
The kick-boxing team will leave Laos on May 6, while the vovinam team will travel on May 17 in time for the draw on May 18 to decide the groups for competition in events taking place from May 18-21.
A total of 29 teams in various sports are now set to demonstrate their prowess at the games after weeks of intensive training.
The government allocated a budget of 9 billion kip to support 18 of the teams during training.
The 11 sports federations funding their athletes’ training are those in charge of men’s and women’s football, badminton, tennis, golf, rugby, e-sport, gymnastics, baseball, beach volleyball and table tennis.
Assisted by 32 trainers, 168 athletes will compete in kickboxing, vovinam, petanque, muay, wushu, billiards/snooker, judo, cycling, pencak silat, wrestling, sepak takraw, taekwondo, karate-do, track and field, boxing, archery, weightlifting, swimming, football, badminton, tennis, golf, rugby, e-sport, gymnastics, baseball, bodybuilding, beach volleyball and table tennis events.
Ten referees and officials from 18 Lao sports federations will also attend the SEA Games.
The hope is that Lao athletes will return home with five gold medals.
However, over the last two years, training has been spasmodic because of the Covid-19 outbreak while numerous competitions were suspended.
In 2019, Lao athletes competed in 24 sports at the last edition of the SEA Games held in the Philippines, winning a gold medal in kickboxing, and five silver and 29 bronze medals in other sports.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update May 5, 2022)