A Lao training Judo confident to protect championship

The Lao Judo fighter who won the 24th SEA Games-cold medal in Thailand is confident that he will be able to protect his champion in the 25th SEA Games to be held in his respected country next year.
The 25-year old Lao national judo fighter, Mr Viengvilay Chansy said that he will do his best to protect his last year endeavour victory in the 25th SEA Games over the strong rivals of Thailand and Vietnam.
"Thailand and Vietnam are the strongest opponents because they were the runners up at the last 24th SEA Games and I will always care about them,"
He said that his daily training with Mongolian and Japanese coach would support him to win the medal. Moreover, the Lao Judo Federation plans to separate their fighters into two groups, a group of eight fighters will be sent to get train in Japan and another three fighters will be in Mongolia.
Mr Viengvilay and his colleagues will travel to Japan for a two-month training course in August this year, while other tree of his colleagues will be in Mongolia for a six-month course.
He said that the lesson of Japan who is the origin of Judo will play an important role for him to defeat his rivals.
Mr Viengvilay joined the national team last six years ago and took part in the SEA Games three times, Asian Games one time and he also took part in the international tournament level held in Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Cambodia. He has won two coppers, one golden medal in a competition at district level in Japan and one gold medal in the last 24th SEA Games.

By: Souksakhone&sanook

Laos makes plans for 25th SEA Games

The Lao National Sports Committee met at the Prime Minister's Office last Friday to begin organising and planning for the 25 th SEA Games in 2009.
Standing Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the 25 th SEA Games Organising Committee, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, senior officials from ministries, and presidents of various Lao sports federations also attended.
The committee is supervising the construction of a new football stadium and athlete accommodation, while also determining the best athletes to represent Laos at the games.
Discussions are currently focused around stadium construction, training centres, accommodation, catering, transportation, and tourism.
The committee will send the most talented athletes to train in neighbouring countries to improve their medal chances.
At the 24 th SEA Games in Thailand last year, the Lao team was helped by trainers from Vietnam , China , the Republic of Korea , Japan , Indonesia , Mongolia and Thailand , and showed great improvements.
The 25 th SEA Games will take place in Vientiane and in Savannakhet and Luang Prabang provinces. The opening and closing ceremonies will be held at the new football stadium in Vientiane .
Savannakhet province will upgrade its accommodation, roads and stadium for some of the football events.
Luang Prabang province will host the track and field events, rebuilding its existing stadium.
Vientiane will spend more billions of kip to prepare for the games, building accommodation, improving the city's appearance and expanding the public transport system.
The city is well established to cope with the influx of athletes and visitors who will attend the games. There are 97 hotels and 69 restaurants as well as many places of historic and cultural interest. The city's 60 tourism companies will certainly benefit.
The games will comprise swimming and diving, wrestling, track and field, badminton, rugby, boxing, football, futsal, golf, judo, karatedo, petanque, sepak takraw, billiards and snooker, shooting, Muay Lao, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, boat racing, shuttlecock, wushu, pencak silat, volleyball and beach volleyball events.
"The government decided to host the games because of its importance in the region; it is a great opportunity to improve the skills of our athletes, and it will be good for the economy," Mr Somsavat said.
"Lao athletes have a lot of potential but first we need to find them. If we select the best competitors and managers, we will be successful, perhaps winning more than 25 gold medals."