Laos expects little from 19th Southeast Asian Games
As the 19th SEA Games draws near, The Jakarta Post will run a profile of each of the 10 participating countries. The story below is third in the series.
JAKARTA (JP): Having just entered the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Laos is not expecting much at the 19th Southeast Asian Games since this is its first participation at the Games.
Laos joined ASEAN in July last year together with Myanmar. Cambodia was to be the 10th country to join the grouping but its admission is still being evaluated due to its internal situations.
Laos knows well that it cannot compete with the other participating countries, so it only expects a gold medal. It is, however, not known where it expects the gold to come from.
For the Games, Laos will be represented by 101 athletes, 69 men and 32 women.
The athletes will compete in 11 events. They are track and field, boxing, canoeing, cycling, soccer, golf, pencak silat, sepaktakraw, tae kwon do, traditional boat races and wushu.
Laos' first test in the Games will be today when its soccer team plays against host Indonesia at the Senayan Main Stadium. The match is due to kick off at 4 p.m.
Today will also see another soccer match between Vietnam and Malaysia. The match will be held at the Lebak Bulus stadium in South Jakarta at 6 p.m.
The Laos soccer team will comprise Bounlap Bounsokvanh, Keolakphone, Khmasay Chanthavong, Khomsavanh Homosombath, Saomsack Keodara, Bounlap Khentitisack, Khamsavanh Khotsay, Souvanho Loangamath, Chalana Louangamath, Kholadeth Phonpachanh, Phouvong Samounty, Phonpadith, Vilayphone Sayavong, Sisaath Singasavanh, Bounmy Thamavongsa, Ananh Thepsouvanh, Sengphet Vongsayarath and Soulivanh Xeunvilay.
Of Laos' athletes, most of them are part of the traditional boat racing event with 36 athletes. Soccer is second with 18. Canoeing is third with 15. Cycling has the least with only two.
Boat racing
Observing from the events Laos will compete in, the country's best hope for winning a gold will probably be in traditional boat racing. Canoeing may possibly gain a medal as seen from 15 athletes participating.
An official from the Laotian Embassy said that they did not have any star athletes, but this did not mean that they would not do their best.
For Laos, its participation in the Games will become a milestone, not only in sports, but for tourism.
Laos is geographically surrounded by Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, China and Cambodia. Its capital is Vientiane and its population is 4.6 million people.
Laos' land area is about 236,800 square kilometers and its national language is Lao.
Logging is the country's biggest business since Laos still retains the highest forest to land ratio in Asia, with approximately 40 percent of the area covered by forest.
Being a member of ASEAN, Laos will certainly try its utmost to boost tourism. The country has opened its doors wide to foreign tourists.
Sports in Laos is not so popular. But the government has shown its concern of sports, so it has progressed rapidly.
The Laotian athletes will do their best in the 19th SEA Games and Laos will most likely become a country to be reckoned with in the future, particularly in sports. (lnt)