Boxing body to announce teams after 4-nations contest
The Lao Amateur Boxing Federation will select the best boxers in a wide range of weight categories as competition for a berth in the ring hots up ahead of the SEA Games.
Boxers from Indonesia , Singapore , Thailand and Laos are taking part in the Lao Open Boxing Tournament this week, with free admission sure to attract plenty of spectators to cheer on the hometown heroes.
So far, however, boxers in many categories have been unable to beat opponents from Thailand and Singapore , in bouts staged at the newly built Olympasia indoor court.
The federation has entered 17 males and five females in this week's tournament.
Lao boxing trainer Vanto Vilayphone said the federation entered new boxers in the tournament because they wanted to put their skills to the test.
But, he said, they weren't fit enough and lacked experience at the international level.
One success story came in the form of Xayaphone Chanthasone, who in the men's 51kg category bout on Wednesday beat Juilio Bria from Indonesia in the first round. He will take on an opponent from Thailand in the second round.
Xayaphone would increase his chances of selection for the SEA Games team if he could come out on top in the second round.
Three other Lao boxers were not so lucky and succumbed to the power of their opponents from Thailand and Indonesia .
On Tuesday, two boxers went down to Thai opponents in the first round, while Khounthavisak overwhelmed Sheikh Omar Mohamad in the first round.
Lao spectators did their best to spur on the boxers but, as Mr Vanto pointed out, the Thai and Indonesian teams were well skilled and had plenty of experience.
Today's bouts will see two 24th SEA Games' bronze medalists, Xayalack Chanthasone in the men's 54kg and Manivone Phimmasone in the women's 60kg weight divisions, pit their skills in the tournament.
Xayalack and Manivone will both take on Thai opponents in the first round.
Mr Vanto said he thought the pair would be successful because they had a lot of experience and had previously fought in Thailand .
Lao boxers picked up five bronze medals at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.
The men will fight in the 48, 51, 54, 57 to 81kg categories, while the women will compete in the 45 and 46 to 60kg categories.
The men have spent a month training in Thailand 's Nakhon Ratchasima province, while the women have been training in Bangkok .
The teams returned to Vientiane on October 10 and have since been training at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeut village, Naxaithong district, in preparation for this week's tournament.
The teams will train hard to brighten their gold medal prospects after being selected for the SEA Games. They will undergo further training by Cuban and Lao trainers.
The 4-nations tournament tests boxers' skills and the competition organising committee's ability to host the SEA Games.
Three Lao referees are adjudicating at the tournament. Only one Lao referee, Mr Somphone Manikham, will be able to referee at the SEA Games because he is the only one to have a certificate at the international level.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Ocotber 23 , 2009
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