2003 SEA Games hosts Vietnam to build $70 million stadium

2003 SEA Games hosts Vietnam to build $70 million stadium

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Vietnam is building a US$ 70 million stadium as part of its preparations to host the 2003 Southeast Asian Games, a top sports official said Monday.

Hoang Vinh Giang, secretary-general of the Olympic Committee of Vietnam, said 10 more sporting venues will be constructed as the communist nation hosts the games for the first time in two years' time.

The main stadium will hold 40,000 spectators, he told a news conference at the end of the 21st SEA Games here. Vietnam placed a respectable fourth place in the overall medals table.

"We can't build stadium and sporting venues as beautiful as those in Kuala Lumpur but they will have standard features," Hoang said.

Vietnam joined the games for the first time as one country in the 1989 edition of the competition, which was also held in Malaysia. The country had been previously divided between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam.

In the final medals tally on Monday, Vietnam was in fourth place overall with 33 gold, 35 silver and 64 bronze -- a sharp improvement from their two gold medals only 12 years ago.

It beat older Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members Philippines and Singapore, which were in fifth and sixth place respectively.

"When we participated in (our) first games in Kuala Lumpur in 1989 as one nation, we only captured two golds. We are more than happy with our present achievement," Hoang said.

"I hope we can be the overall champion when we host the Games and Malaysia become the runner-up champion," he joked.

Malaysia dethroned defending champions Thailand in this year's games. The SEA Games are held every two years.