Gloves off as training gives way to boxing bouts
A three-day training course for boxing officials, volunteers and liaison teams at the Olympasia indoor stadium in Vientiane is set to wrap up today.
After finishing the training course, they are to put their new skills and fast footwork to use with the Lao Open Boxing Tournament to be held at the venue from October 20-23.
The Lao Amateur Boxing Federation will seek to learn from experiences at this tournament as it aims to fine tune arrangements for the upcoming 25th SEA Games, to be held in Vientiane from December 9-18.
The Olympasia indoor stadium is located at the National University of Laos Dongdok campus. It will host boxing events during December's games.
With seating for 700 people, it is 36 metres wide and 42 metres in length, and is 18 metres high.
The federation hopes to put its best foot forwards for a successful SEA Games, so it's all hands on deck as the stadium, competition organising committee and the Lao boxing team size up the challenge at this preliminary event.
In Laos to lead training for adjudicators is Chairman of Thailand's Association of Referees, Mr Anant On-chant, along with his compatriot and experienced referee Mr Artit Som-cha, a judge at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing , China .
This is the second time the Thai pair has helped to train their Lao counterparts. They will also assist during the SEA Games.
Mr Anant said like the fighters themselves, the officials were proud to be representing their country.
Selected from the federation's best, everybody is keen to make the tournament a success.
The federation is still finalising its choice of announcers, as well as working with reporters, referees and referee assistants to streamline organisation.
Prior to the training course, the federation's representatives inspected the inside of the stadium, made the finishing touches and installed lighting.
While the broadcasting room at Olympasia is impressive, it will be more so as it transforms into a bustling hive of activity as teams descend on the SEA Games.
Vice President of the Lao Olympic Committee Kasem Inthara, President of the Lao Amateur Boxing Federation Leng Angkham and the federation's officials attended the opening ceremony of the training course.
The Lao Olympic Committee cooperated with Olympic Committee of Thailand to hold the training course.
Sixteen Lao male competitors and six females will test their skills in the tournament.
The male boxers will face up with opponents in the 48, 51, 54, 57 to 81kg categories, with the women in the 45 and 46 to 60kg categories.
The men were training in Thailand 's Nakhon Ratchasima province, while the women were in Bangkok . The teams have trained in Thailand for one month.
The teams returned to Vientiane on October 10 and have continued their training at the National Sports Training Centre in Sikeut village, Naxaithong district, in preparation for the international boxing event.
Boxers from Indonesia , Singapore , Thailand and Laos will touch gloves, with free admission sure to attract plenty of spectators to cheer on the hometown heroes.
The Lao boxing team took home one silver and five bronze medals from the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
October19, 2009
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