Lao shuttlecock players end campaign with silver

The Lao men’s and women’s shuttlecock teams both ended their SEA Games campaign in second place on Wednesday, winning silver medals in the last day of the shuttlecock competition at Beung Khayong sports centre.

In the men’s event Vietnam won gold, beating the Lao team comprising Southisone Thonmanivong, Phongeun Kongmany and Khamphong Phouthong in the final, while bronze medals went to Thailand and Cambodia.

In the women’s final Vietnam again took gold over the Lao team of Malaythong Daosisavan, Pathoumphone Phammachane and Khamkhun Luanglad, while bronze went to Cambodia.

Khamphong of the Lao men’s team, a former sepak takraw player, said after the competition that they had lost to Vietnam on weakness of technical skills, since the Lao team had only trained for 8 months prior to the games.

The Lao player explained that while both sepak takraw and shuttlecock require deftness of foot, other technical skills are quite different between the two sports.

“Shuttlecock uses only the top of the foot, but in sepak takraw players need to use the whole leg as well as the foot,” he said.

The President of the Lao Shuttlecock Federation, Prof Dr Borviengkham Vongsara said that the three gold medals, three silver and one bronze won by Lao shuttlecock players at their own SEA Games was cause enough for pride, and one more gold than the federation had hoped for.

“In future, we will prepare to train and improve our players to join more domestic and international competitions, which will help our players improve their skills and gain more experience,” he said.

Source: KPL Lao News Agency
December 18, 2009