Athletics competition to test Lao squad

Pre-SEA Games events continue this week as the Lao athletics team test their skills in the national track and field competition at the National Stadium in Vientiane on October 11-12.

Secretary General of the Lao Amateur Athletics Federation, Ms Phouxay Phengphong, said that aside from being a chance for athletes to compete using the new facilities at the stadium, the event will also help the competition organising committee in their preparations for December's SEA Games.

The Lao National Sports Committee will also be able to examine the standard of the track and field facilities at the new stadium.

The Lao athletics squad began their intensive training programme for the SEA Games at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeut village, Naxaithong district, in April.

The full SEA Games team of 26 males and 15 female athletes will take part in the pre-games track and field competition, which comprises 25 events including 100m sprint, 400m and 1,500m on the track, and discus, javelin and pole vault on the field.

The SEA Games in December will feature 45 track and field events.

Athletes in the national squad are from six provinces of Laos , and were selected during the eighth National Games in Champassak province last December.

The athletics federation held a training course for 80 federation officials at the Lao National Sports Committee office on October 8-10 to prepare for the track and field event.

Ms Phouxay said the federation decided to test only Lao athletes during the competition instead of inviting squads from neighbouring countries as in the current pre-games 4-nations football tournament.

The Lao athletics team failed to hit the medal board at the previous SEA Games in Thailand two years ago, but is hopeful of making more of an impact at home in December.

 

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
October 6 , 2009

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