Junior badminton player aiming high

Laos 's youngest national female badminton player, Miss Soutchai Xaysana, 17, will take to the court at the 25th SEA Games, to be held in Vientiane from December 9-18.

Souchai ( right ) in action at the Police Association indoor court last year.

After a break to celebrate Pi Mai Lao, Soutchai and her teammates plan to train long and hard at Vientiane 's Thanong-ath indoor court.

Miss Soutchai was selected for the national team after strong performances at the eighth National Games in Champassak province last December.

She won a silver medal in the women's singles and a silver medal in the women's team (four players) event.

She said she was hoping to reach the semi-final round of the women's singles or other women's events at the SEA Games. Anything more would be a bonus.

The 17-year-old only graduated from her secondary school in Pakxan district, Borikhamxay province, last year.

She said she would like to study at the Faculty of Economics and Management of the National University of Laos. However, she will take a break in her education this year to focus on training and competition for the SEA Games.

While competing at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007, she was unable to get beyond the first round of the women's singles in badminton.

She said she was hoping to compete at the international level for many years to come. In order to succeed in the 25th SEA Games, she will train every day.

As a youngster she won a gold medal in the women's singles and a gold medal in the women's doubles at the seventh National Games in Savannakhet province in 2005.

She won a silver medal in the women's singles at the National Assembly President's Cup in Vientiane last year.

Her parents have supported her dream to play badminton since she began showing great promise as a child of only 12.

SEA Games badminton events will comprise men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, mixed doubles and men's and women's team events. The Lao Badminton Federation will have 10 men and eight women in competition.

Federation President, Mr Santiphab Phomvihane, said the team would benefit from new imported coaching expertise and hoped to gather as many medals as possible.

A Chinese coaching official arrived in Vientiane on Wednesday, and is ready to help the Lao players improve in order to challenge for some serious SEA Games gold.

 

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
April 10, 2009

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