Lao Karatedo team eyes two golds in SEA Games 2009

Photo: Mr Vilayvong Boutdhakham ( third left ), Mr Phongsavath Boupha ( fourth left ), Mr Watanabe Toshiyuki ( fourth right ) and federation officials gather at the Youth Union on Monday. The Lao karatedo team is hoping for two gold medals at the 25 th SEA Games in Laos next year, after winning only one bronze medal at the 24 th SEA Games in Thailand last December. On Monday the Lao Karatedo Federation held a ceremony at the Lao Revolutionary Youth Union to present certificates and black belts (dan) to the federation president and officials. A representative of the Yuuwakai Association of Japan, Mr Watanabe Toshiyuki, presented certificates and black belts (5 dan, 4 dan and 3 dan) to President of the Lao Karatedo Federation and Deputy Security General of the Lao Revolutionary Youth Union, Mr Vilayvong Boutdhakham, and to the federation's vice presidents, secretary and trainers. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and consultant to the federation Phongsavath Boupha, national team members and members of the Vientiane Secondary School Karatedo Club also attended the ceremony. “We want to strengthen the hearts of the federation's president and officials to encourage them to continue to improving karatedo in Laos ,” Mr Phongsavath said. “We thank the Yuuwakai Association and hope Japan will continue to help us develop karatedo in Laos and that our two countries will enjoy friendly cooperation.” The karatedo team from Vientiane Secondary School gave a demonstration of their skills at the end of the ceremony. Consultant to the federation Sonesak N.Nhansana supervised an examination of karatedo fighters in several categories at the Lao Telecom Centre Shotokan Karatedo camp on Sunday. Seven candidates passed the examination and received a black belt and 3 kyu, 7 kyu and 8 kyu belts. They have been training in the sport since March this year. The camp will send a karatedo team to compete in the 8 th National Games in Champassak province in December and the camp's top fighters will join the national team at the 25 th SEA Games in Laos next year.

Lao Karatedo dreams high for 25th SEA GAMES 2009

ore than 100 people watched as the Lao Karatedo Federation announced the formation of a new committee last Sunday at the International Cooperation and Training Centre in Vientiane. Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and President of the Lao National Sports Committee Dr Phouthong Seng-akhon adopted the measure aimed at improving the organisational structure of the karatedo executive board in April this year. The new committee conprises five consultants of whom two hold honorary positions. There are also 11 administrators. “The announcement of this new structure is part of the federation's development plans as required by the Lao National Sports Committee in preparation for the 25 th SEA Games, which Laos will host next year,” federation president Vilayvong Bouddakham said. At the same time, members of the outgoing executive committee and donors to the federation received certificates of honour and congratulations. Attendees then watched a karatedo demonstration led by federation advisor Phongsavath Boupha, in which more than 60 fighters took part. Mr Vilayvong and President of the Yuuwakai Association of Japan, Mr Watanabe Shinichi, signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of a karatedo practice centre and office. Mr Vilayvong said the US$100,000 grant aid from the Yuuwakai Association would provide the federation with better training facilities and encourage more people to take part in the sport. The association has been providing Japanese karatedo coaches for long term training programmes to help strengthen Lao players' skills. According to a press release from the federation, the government has set a target for athletes to win 25 gold medals in 25 th SEA Games, including two in karatedo. The federation plans to expand training for karatedo fighters nationwide in a bid to increase the number of players. “The Eighth National Games is taking place in Champassak province in December. This is good preparation for Lao athletes taking part in the SEA Games,” Vice President of the Lao National Sports Committee Somphou Vongsa said. According to 2007 federation figures, Laos has only about 100 karatedo fighters. This is much less than the estimated 25,000 in Vietnam, 10,000 in Myanmar, 3,000 in Cambodia and 100,000 in Thailand. The federation was first established in 1998 when it was called the Karatedo Association. The Lao National Sports Committee later changed the name to the Lao Karatedo Federation. Lao karatedo fighters have taken part in many international competitions, including the 22 nd SEA Games in Vietnam (no medal), 23 rd SEA Games in the Philippines (one bronze), the World Karatedo Championships in Germany in 2004 (one bronze) and a meet in Australia in 2006 (no medal). Karatedo fighters also attended the 13 th Asian universities competition in Vietnam in 2006 (two silver and 10 bronze medals) and the 24 th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007 (one bronze).

Laos urged to add more sports at SEA Games 2009

JAKARTA: Four countries are urging host Laos to add several sports to the 25th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which are scheduled to be held from Dec. 13 to 21 next year, according to Indonesia's sports chief.Rita Subowo, chairwoman of the National Sports Council (KONI), said Friday that Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand had met with representative from Laos to discuss the possibility including sports such as basketball, archery, canoeing, weightlifting and cycling. "However, Laos indicated it would not host those sports events due to lack of facilities and funds," Rita said. "Those sports would give Indonesia good medal chances," she said. Laos plans to stage 25 sports, much fewer than the 43 at the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand. Rita said the four countries would further discuss the issue in November in the hope of convincing Laos to add those sports. (ewd)

25th SEA Games Laos facilities funded by Vietnam

View of Vientiane
A Vietnam funded hotel and office has began in Vientiane, Laos. This US$7 million, 11,000sq.m and six story building is being built for the upcoming 25th SEA Games in Laos next year
The project is being handles by Vietnam-Laos Electricity Joint Stock Co and it is essential the project built in the capital city of Laos, to be finished by November 2009 or the games would be move to Singapore due to games incompletion

Thailand to give Laos $2.9 m for SEA Games

BANGKOK - THAILAND will give Laos 98 million baht (S$3.9 million) to help it organise the region's biggest sports event next year, a Thai government spokesman said. The Southeast Asian Games are scheduled to take place in Laos at the end of next year but the impoverished nation desperately needs funds to improve its infrastructure. 'The money will be given to help Laos organise the 25th SEA Games, to improve stadiums and train staff,' spokesman Weerinthira Nathongborcharas said in a statement. Laos, which has no experience in organising international sporting events, will host the bi-annual 25-sport games from December 3-12, 2009. Ms Weerinthira said Thailand will send referees to train Laotian personnel in 12 sporting events and offer further training courses in Bangkok in four other events. Thailand will also loan Laos sports equipment from the previous SEA Games, which took place in Thailand last December. Thailand joins China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the Olympic Council of Asia in supporting the Laos event, which will take place mostly at the national stadium in the capital Vientaine. -- AFP

Improving road for 25th SEA Games in Laos 2009

(KPL) The Government plans to improve a road access to the new SEA Stadium to support the upcoming 25th SEA Games to be hosted in 2009, Vientiane Capital.The distance of road would be improved which stretches from T-junction of Ban Saysavang to the SEA Games’ stadium, at KM16 (Road No 13 south) with an aim to provide convenient communication.Head of Road Improvement Project, Mr Noulath Latsapong said that the improvement of this road is aiming at expanding road to deal with traffic jams during the 25th SEA Games. This road is a total length of 4,500 metres and width of 22 metre. The road improvement is worth US$3.75 million, of which Government contributed 750,000 US dollar and the rest was a loan from Korean fund and it expected to be completed within 18 months.The technical officials of the project met each other on 13 June at the Department of Construction and Transport to discuss on removing other barriers out of the construction area.The Government has pledged to compensate local people who have affected from the construction.

Laos dropping major sports in SEA Games 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: The initial 22 sports proposed by hosts Laos for the 25th SEA Games next year have come under fire from a number of countries, including Malaysia.
Laos have indicated that they might only stage about 25 sports, a far cry from the 43 medal sports and two demonstration sports in the programme of the biennial Games in Thailand last December.
Sports like shuttlecock, merely a traditional game played by ethnic groups in Asian countries like Vietnam, China, Laos, Cambodia, and fin swimming have been proposed, instead of weightlifting, snooker or basketball.
Shuttlecock, which resembles a hoop sepaktakraw match, uses feathers clustered together just like a shuttle used in badminton, but played with the feet.
The game is played in two basic forms – the artistic (points for the most difficult moves) and team (played with a net in the centre and two players on each side, juggling and smashing the shuttlecock with their feet).