Karatedo team fighting towards SEA Games glory
The Shotokan Karatedo Club in Vientiane is currently training young athletes in the hope they will join the national karatedo team at the 25th SEA Games, to be held in Vientiane from December 9 to 18.
Many fighters from the club represented Vientiane at the eighth National Games in Champassak province last December and won medals in their various divisions.
The club currently trains more than 100 fighters and is just one of seven karatedo clubs in Vientiane under the management of the Lao Karatedo Federation (LKF).
Senior Consultant at the LKF and Director of the Shotokan Karatedo Club, Mr Sonesak Nhansana, said the Lao national karatedo team has a good opportunity to win gold medals at the upcoming games.
LKF plans to send the national team, which consists of four men and three women, to compete in the first Asian Martial Arts Games in Thailand from April 29 to May 5.
After returning from Thailand , the team will continue to compete in international tournaments in an effort to improve their skills and experience in the lead-up to the games.
The four men in the national team are Inthanousone Vilaysouk in the 55 kg division, Xayxavath Xayakone in the 60 kg division, Inkhatheb Saythansavanh in the 67 kg division and Soukphansa Inthavong in the 75 kg division.
Chansouda Phetsiliseng in the 50 kg division, Manivanh Keomamy in the 55 kg division and Phimpha Phommachanh in the 61 kg division make up the female members of the team.
Miss Chansouda won a bronze medal at the Phuket Championships and a silver medal at the Thailand Open in June 2007. Mr Souphansa won a bronze medal at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand .
All members of the team have previous experience at the SEA Games level and hope the home crowd advantage at this year's event will boost their chances of winning medals.
Karatedo events at the games will consist of 55, 60, 70, 75, 80 and 85 kg divisions for men and 48, 53, 60 and 65 kg divisions for women.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
April 7, 2009
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