31ST SEA GAMES: UPDATES MAY 13
SEA Games 31 expected
to boost Vietnam’s tourism  The Games is taking
place in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring cities and provinces. (Photo: VNA) The 31st Southeast Asian
Games (SEA Games 31), which officially opened in Hanoi on May 12 night, will
create a boost to economic and tourism recovery and development in Vietnam
and ASEAN at large, a Vietnamese tourism official has said. SEA Games 31: Five golds for Vietnam
on May 13 Vietnamese
athletes clinched five golds in Wushu and Rowing at the ongoing 31st
Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) on May 13 morning, helping their hosts
Vietnam retain top place in the medal table with 15 golds. Rowers
Pham Thi Hue and Dinh Thi Hao won a gold medal in the women's double sculls,
clocking a time of eight minutes and 11.551 seconds. Their
teammates Ho Thi Ly, Luong Thi Thao, Nguyen Thi Giang, and Pham Thi Thao also
brought home a gold medal in the lightweight women's quadruple sculls,
finishing first with a time of seven minutes and 11.326 seconds Meanwhile,
Wushu martial artists Pham Huong Giang, Pham Quoc Khanh, and Duong Thuy Vi
also pocketed three gold medals in different weight categories. As
of 12hrs on May 13, Vietnam retain their top place in the medal tally with 15
golds, leaving behind Malaysia and Indonesia with 11 and 5 golds
respectively. SEA Games 31: Pétanque athletes kick
off competition Pétanque
events within the ongoing SEA Games 31 kicked off in Hanoi after an opening
ceremony on May 13. A
total of 98 athletes from six nations – host Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia,
Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia – are set to join knockout matches, lasting
20 minutes each. The
matches are conducted in accordance with the statutes of the Asian Boules
Sport Confederation. Throughout May 13, taking place are qualifying
quarterfinals, semi-finals and the final matches among participating squads,
with medals awarded in the afternoon. Vietnam
sent 19 athletes, including 10 males, to the events. Fencers begin competitions at SEA Games
31, with eyes on medals Fencing
competitions of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) began on March 13,
with Vietnam sending its aces to vie for medals. On
the day, fencers Nguyen Phuong Kim and Vu Thi Hong will compete in the
women’s epee event, while Vu Thanh An and Nguyen Xuan Loi will begin their
SEA Games tournament in the men’s sabre. Fencing
used to be one of Vietnam's top sports at the regional Games. In 2015,
athletes picked up eight gold medals out of the 12 on offer. But at the
following games in 2017 they only managed three out of six and in 2019, they
lost their top spot winning just four out of 12. Coach
of the Vietnamese fencing team Pham Anh Tuan said that in the SEA Games 31,
the team is confident of winning three gold medals. Fencing
events with 12 sets of medals are taking place at the Hanoi Indoor Games
Gymnasium from May 13 to 18. Hanoi holds banquet to celebrate SEA
Games 31 The
capital city of Hanoi on May 12 held a banquet to welcome the 31st Southeast
Asian Games (SEA Games 31), the biggest regional sports event with great
cultural, political, diplomatic and economic significance that Vietnam is
hosting. The
event was attended by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van
Hung, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi Chu Ngoc Anh, and
representatives from localities hosting SEA Games 31. Foreign
guests at event included Speaker of the Singaporean Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin;
Minister of Education and Sports of Laos Phout Simmalavong; Minister of
Tourism of Cambodia Thong Khon; President of the Olympic Committee of Myanmar
U Min Thein Zan; Vice President of the Asian Olympic Council Gordon Tang; and
representatives from ASEAN countries in Vietnam and heads of sports
delegations to SEA Games 31. Opening
the function, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi Chu Ngoc Anh said
that Vietnam is in an atmosphere of excitement for SEA Games 31, a special
edition in the 63-year history of the regional sporting event. Along with
preparations for the Games, Vietnam has rolled out measures to ensure safety
against COVID-19, he said. The
SEA Games 31 is being held in Hanoi and other 11 localities from May 12-23
with 40 sports. Hanoi is hosting the opening and closing ceremonies and 16
sports events. Thailand aims to win 112 gold medals
at SEA Games 31 Thailand aims to win 112 gold medals at the 31st SEA
Games in Vietnam which officially started on May 12, according to the Bangkok
Post. It
noted that there are 40 sports offering 527 gold medals at the Vietnam Games
which end on May 23. The sports include Olympic events such as athletics,
swimming, boxing and football as well as regional ones like sepak takraw and
pencak silat. There are also several martial arts including Muay Thai,
kickboxing, vovinam, kurash and jiu-jitsu. The
article said Thailand have been the most successful nation in the tournament,
with 13 overall crowns since the event was launched as the Southeast Asian
Peninsular (SEAP) Games in 1959. However,
the Thais have failed to finish top in the medal standings in the previous
two Games. The
Thais were third overall with 92 golds at the 2019 edition in the
Philippines. Thailand
are sending 189 athletes to Vietnam and the Sports Authority of Thailand
(SAT) aims for the squad to win 112 gold medals. SAT
governor Gongsak Yodmani said the number should be good enough for Thailand
to finish second overall behind Vietnam, adding that his agency targets the
Thais to win 72 gold medals in "international sports". According
to the SAT's Elite Sports Development Department, there are 22 international
sports at the Vietnam Games including swimming, athletics, boxing, cycling,
football, weightlifting, golf, taekwondo, rowing, tennis, shooting and
triathlon. Gongsak
said the SEA Games should be a venue for young athletes to hone their skills
to become good enough for the Asian Games and the Olympics. Thailand
aim to win 12 gold medals in athletics, 10 in shooting and skeet, eight in
rowing, five in boxing, five in sepak takraw, five in Muay Thai, four in
football and futsal, three in taekwondo and three in dance sport, among
others. Malaysia, Singapore to host SEA Games
in 2027, 2029 Malaysia
and Singapore will host the 34th and 35th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games)
in 2027 and 2029, respectively, according to the Southeast Asian Games
Federation (SEAGF). President
of the Olympic Council of Malaysia Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the
decision to select Malaysia to host the 34th SEA Games in 2027 was agreed
unanimously at the SEAGF Council meeting on May 12. He
thanked the SEAGF Council for the trust and belief in the Olympic Council of
Malaysia. It
will be the seventh time Malaysia will host the region’s biennial sporting
event, with the most recent being in 2017. Last
year, the Malaysian council expressed the country’s interest to hold the 2027
Games, following Brunei's withdrawal. Meanwhile,
Singapore was announced the hosts of the 35th SEA Games in 2029. The most
recent Games it organised was in 2015. The
31st SEA Games is underway in Vietnam until May 23, the second of its kind to
be held in the country. The
32nd Games will take place in Cambodia in 2023 and the 33rd in Thailand in
2025. SEA Games 31: Vietnam coach stays calm
after win over Philippines in women’s football Vietnam
head coach Mai Duc Chung remained calm after his team’s 2-1 victory on May 11
over the Philippines, which are among the favourites to win the gold medal of
SEA Games 31 women’s football, according to the Organising Committee. Vietnam
and the Philippines will be Southeast Asian representatives at the 2023 FIFA
Women’s World Cup. Philippine players launched massive attacks from
kick-off and their captain Tahnai Annis opened the score with a header in the
15th minute. SEA Games 31: SEAGF council meeting
adopts reports, plans The
Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) Council Meeting took place in the
morning of May 12 on the sidelines of the ongoing SEA Games 31, approving a
number of reports and plans. Participants
expressed their opinions on enhancing the role of women in sports, and doping
inspection timeline, among others. The representative of the SEA Games 32
Organising Committee in Cambodia also reported the progress of its related
preparations, regarding the timeline and venues, the opening and closing
ceremonies, competitions and sidelines conferences. After
the discussion, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Tran Duc
Phan noted the meeting approved a report by the SEAGF’s office and a number
of plans for the preparation of upcoming SEA Games editions, among others. Despite
COVID-19-induced difficulties, Vietnam has spared no effort for SEA Games 31
to run as scheduled, he said. The
official also stressed that Vietnam is determined to organise the event as
well as possible and welcomes assistance from regional countries. Asia’s biggest tennis court complex
opens in Bac Ninh, ready for SEA Games 31 Tennis
court complex Hanaka Paris Ocean Park, a venue for SEA Games 31 competitions
in the northern province of Bac Ninh, has been named Asia’s biggest complex
of its kind located in an urban area by the Asia Book of Records, according
to the Organising Committee for SEA Games 31. The
10-ha complex was officially inaugurated by its developer Hanaka Group JSC on
May 10 evening. It was built in six months at a total cost of 120 billion VND
(nearly 5.2 million USD). Located
in Hanaka Paris Ocean Park in Tu Son city, the complex has seven
international-standard tennis courts, including one main covered tennis court
and six outdoor tennis courts with a total capacity of over 5,000 seats. The
3,000-seat main tennis court covers a floor area of 4,348 sq.m and has a
height of 22.34m while the outdoor courts are built on a ground of 920sq.m
each. The
main tennis court is equipped with retractable roof and hawk-eye systems,
capable of hosting national and international tournaments meeting the
Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) standards. Pencak Silat fighter wins first gold
for Singapore at SEA Games 31 Pencak
Silat fighter Iqbal Abdul Rahman won the first gold medal for Singapore at
the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) in Hanoi after beating
Thailand's Ilyas Sadara in the artistic men’s tunggal (singles) finals on May
11, according to the Organising Committee. Iqbal,
28, garnered an average score of 9.960 from 10 judges in the final at the Bac
Tu Liem Gymnasium to see off his opponent who scored 9.930. Although
Iqbal is a world champion and the Asian Championship gold medalist for four
times, this was his first SEA Games triumph after five unsuccessful tries. He
had claimed a silver medal in the men's artistic singles at the last edition
of SEA Games in 2019 in the Philippines and a bronze in SEA Games 2015 in his
country. Vietnamese women’s football team
starts SEA Games 31 in ‘perfect fashion’: AFC The
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has hailed the Vietnamese women’s football
team 2-1 comeback win over the Philippines on May 11 at the ongoing SEA Games
31. The Official AFC Asian Cup Facebook Page wrote that
Vietnam opened their SEA Games Group A account on home soil in ‘perfect
fashion’ with a win over the Philippines. Photo exhibition on female athletes
underway to welcome SEA Games 31 A
photo exhibition on well-known Vietnamese female athletes is underway at
Hanoi’s Vietnamese Women’s Museum to welcome the ongoing 31st Southeast Asian
Games. The
exhibition, called “Khat vong toa sang” (Aspiration to shine), aims to
encourage and enthuse Vietnamese female athletes to achieve more victories
for the country. On
display are 60 photos of various athletes, many of whom are with
disabilities, telling stories of these women and their struggles as
professionals. The
photos are divided in three sections - “On the top of glory,” “After the
glory,” and “The special moments”. The
first depicts the athletes’ blood, sweat and tears to sharpen their skills and
competencies before success comes; the second tells how these women had to
sacrifice, even their own personal life, to bring glory to the motherland;
and the third features their simple but full of happiness moments when they
return home and reunite with their families after days of intensive training
and tough competitions. The
event will run through May 25. SEA Games 31: Vietnam expects more
golds in Kurash, Rowing, Kickboxing, Wushu Vietnam
hopes to clinch more gold medals on May 13 at the ongoing 31st Southeast
Asian Games (SEA Games 31) as athletes are scheduled to compete in Kurash,
Rowing, Kickboxing, Wushu and other sports of their strengths. Vietnamese
martial artists have won six out of a total of 10 gold medals in Kurash,
surpassing their set target of taking five golds. They even get more golds
when they are competing in the men’s 73kg weight category and the women’s
57kg & 70kg weight categories on May 13. Five
Vietnamese kickboxers have qualified for the final matches and they are all
vying for gold medals on May 13. Nguyen Thi Hang Nga, Nguyen The Huong, Huynh
Van Tuan, Nguyen Quang Huy, and Huynh Thi Kim Vang are Vietnamese hopefuls in
five different weight categories. Vietnamese
rowers are also competing in men’s lightweight quadruple and double sculls
and women’s double sculls, hoping to receive more golds after they got two
golds on May 11. Also
on May 13, Vietnamese athletes are competing in Fencing, Pancat Silat, Wushu,
Bodybuilding, Sepak Takraw, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Tennis, Basketball,
Golf and E-sports. Vietnam
currently tops the medal table with 10 golds, leaving behind Malaysia and
Indonesia in second and third places with nine and three golds respectively. Vietnam moves for Chinese chess glory This
year’s SEA Games is the first time that Chinese chess has been included in
the competition, and the Vietnamese team are determined to take
advantage. Eight
excellent players from the country will take part in the Games: Lại Lý Huynh,
Hà Văn Tiến, Nguyễn Minh Nhật Quang, Đặng Cửu Tùng Lân, Vũ Quốc Đạt, Nguyễn
Thành Bảo, Nguyễn Hoàng Yến, and Lê Thị Kim Loan. They will compete in blitz,
rapid and standard formats. The
gold medal hope in the men’s group rests on the shoulders of master Huynh,
who is a 'treasure' of Vietnamese Chinese chess. He took the national title
in 2014, 2016 and 2018. In
2016, he was invited to compete in an all-Chinese team tournament. He also
came second at the eighth Han Xin Cup Chinese chess International Masters in
Sydney, Australia in 2016. Bảo
is considered an unknown force that could cause a few upsets. In 2009, he won
a team and individual silver medal at the World Chinese Chess Championship
and a team silver medal at the Asian Indoor Games. In
2010, Bảo took silver at the Asian Games. One year later, he won silver again
in the team event and bronze in the individual event. At the national
championship, he won gold. In
2021, he returned to competition and had regular friendly matches with famous
players at home and abroad. Through these matches, it became obvious he was
extremely strong. In
this year’s national championship, Bảo came second behind Quang. In
the women's group, Yến hopes to bring home a medal. She was a two-time
runner-up in the World Championships as well as the winner at the fourth
World Summit of Intellectual Sports in 2014, marking a turning point for
Vietnamese chess. In 2016, she won the national championship in three
categories. Yến
has played chess from an early age. She joined the chess team in HCM City’s
District 3 at the age of 10. In 2007, when she was 15 years old, she won
silver at the national chess tournament. To
prepare for the regional Games, Vietnamese players have honed their skills
and gained experience in domestic events. Tô
Quốc Khanh, head of the Chinese chess section of the National Sports
Administration, said that Vietnamese players are confident in competing at
the Games and their goal is to strive for the highest possible results. Coach
Võ Minh Nhất said that all players have special personalities, but they are
stable and in good form, so they are expected to gain great results. Việt
Nam’s opponents are mainly from Singapore and Malaysia, which have Chinese
chess heritage. However, if Việt Nam plays confidently, they will not give
their rivals a chance. The
Chinese chess tournament will begin on May 14 and last until May 20 in the
northern province of Quảng Ninh. Wushu athletes hope for record medal
tally Wushu
athletes are hoping to bring home more golds than ever before for Việt Nam,
affirming the country's position in the martial arts world arena. The
Vietnamese wushu team has not had the opportunity to go abroad to train to
improve their skills in recent years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Internal
testing sessions helped wushu taolu athletes get used to the competition
conditions as well as perfect their movements to be the most proficient. Wushu
taolu mainly focuses on movements such as kicks, balance, push, movement,
jumps and somersaults. The flexibility of the athletes combined with the
movements will give viewers the feeling that this martial art is soft but
strong. The
presence of veteran fighters will help wushu taolu's members to be more
confident when competing at home turf this time. They are Dương Thúy Vi, Phạm
Quốc Khánh, Trần Thị Minh Huyền, Nguyễn Thị Trang, and Bùi Trường Giang. Vi
is one of the best Vietnamese wushu athletes to compete in the event, and she
said she will do her utmost to bring home a gold medal. Vi said the team are
in the final stages of intensive training for the regional sports event,
which requires high concentration. Coaches
have regularly conducted tests to assess their preparations and Vi has
expressed her determination to compete in the Games. “I
have waited for this opportunity to perform in the Games at home for a long
time. For me, apart from good luck, it is my honour to compete in the Games,”
she said, noting that despite significant pressure when competing as a host
athlete. She said she believed that the cheers from the crowd will be a great
source of encouragement to her and others. Another
wushu athlete competing at SEA Games 31 is Trần Thị Minh Huyền. At the SEA
Games 30 in 2019, Minh Huyền won a silver medal in the content of taiji jian
and a bronze medal in taiji. This year, the coaching staff hope that with her
experience, she will change the colour of both medals. Phạm
Quốc Khánh is the oldest wushu athlete to compete at the SEA Games 31. Khánh
got a gold medal in the SEA Games 30 in 2019 in the Philippines in wushu
taolu. He has competed in seven consecutive SEA Games, with some success. At
the SEA Games 31, the wushu team's coaching staff will introduce some new
faces, including athlete Đặng Tiểu Bình, Nông Văn Hữu, Nguyễn Văn Phương, and
Trần Thị Kiều Trang. Interspersed
with technical training sessions, and internal tests, the coaching staff also
focused on physical training for athletes, so that they have the best chance
of success in the competition. In
the content of taiji and taiji jian for men and women this year, the team
also introduced two faces that promise to create surprises, Trần Thị Kiều
Trang and Nguyễn Văn Phương. Wushu
sanshou, is a martial art that can cause damage, accompanied by strikes and
kicks at fast speed with strong force. Therefore, athletes must wear
protective gear when training to avoid injuries. The
COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the team's international training and
competition plans. The whole team has to practice running and competing internally
every weekend to maintain their fitness. Although
there are no conditions to evaluate and know the level of competitors in the
region, the whole team is still determined to protect Trường Giang's
achievement of one gold medal in the 60kg content and promises to create
surprises in the remaining weight classes. U23 Vietnam vs U23 Myanmar – tough
clash for both sides U23
Vietnam are scheduled to play U23 Myanmar in a Group A match on May 13
evening as part of the ongoing 31st SEA Games – a fixture described as tough
for both sides. Myanmar
are currently leading Group A with six points after two matches, two points
higher than Vietnam in second place. In
the event that Vietnam win the match, the current SEA Games champions will
likely cruise to the semi-finals, as they will face underdogs Timor Leste in
the final group match. In
case Myanmar outplay Vietnam, they will have nine points and progress through
to the semi-finals. If this scenario happens, U23 Vietnam will be at a huge
disadvantage as they will no longer have their fate in their own hands. Most
pundits believe Vietnam are stronger than Myanmar and they have strong
support from home fans. Their goalless draw against the Philippines in their
opener means they are now under mounting pressure to beat Myanmar to go
through the knockout stage. In
their first two games Myanmar defeated weak rivals Timor Leste and the
Philippines 3-2 each. Vietnam
stunned Myanmar 2-0 in a friendly match in 2019, and they are required to
make better use of scoring chances if they want to overwhelm their opponents
in the home turf again this time. Striker
Tien Linh who scored a goal three years ago is now playing for the U23 side
and is the main threat in attack for the host team. Meanwhile,
U23 Myanmar boast a strong defense line and this is a big challenge for hosts
Vietnam. Vietnam
will take on Myanmar at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho province at 7 p.m. on May
13. Archer Nhi aims high in Games debut Nguyễn
Thị Thanh Nhi is going to take part in her first Southeast Asian (SEA)
Games. The competition will be memorable for her as she will compete on home
ground as the Games returns to Việt Nam for the second time. Nhi
is a new face of the national team but is expected to top the podium after
being a phenomenon at this year's National Top Archery Champions. At
the tournament, the 21-year-old was against many strong rivals, including
Tokyo Olympian Đỗ Thị Ánh Nguyệt in the recurve disciplines. But
these strong competitors could not scare Nhi, and the Huế City-born athlete
grabbed top positions in the five categories of the 30m, 50m, 60m, 70m, and
all-round recurve, and two silvers in other classes. "It
is the first time that an athlete has made such incredible results,"
said Phan Trọng Quân, a member of the organising board. "No one has
grabbed five individual titles in one tournament like Nhi before." Her
successful performance gave coaches no choice but to pick her for the
national team. Hanoi offers free bus services to SEA
Games 31 delegates Hanoi
will provide free bus services for delegates, including athletes, coaches and
reporters, who participate in the ongoing SEA Games 31. With
the double-decker buses running between 9 am and 5 pm every day, delegates
can see 25 streets and tourist spots like the Hanoi Opera House, St. Joseph's
Cathedral, Hanoi Flag Tower, Late President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, Hoa Lo
Prison, and the Vietnamese Women’s Museum. The
buses are equipped with an automatic narration system in 10 languages,
including Vietnamese, English and French, to talk about Hanoi’s culture and
history. From
Monday to Friday, buses will start from Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square on Dinh
Tien Hoang Street with a frequency of 60 minutes. On Saturday and Sunday,
they will depart from Hanoi Opera House with the same frequency. Source: VNA/VOV/VNN |
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét