The 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), which officially opened in Hanoi on May 12 night, will create a boost to economic and tourism recovery and development in Vietnam and ASEAN at large, a Vietnamese tourism official has said.

Ha Van Sieu, deputy head of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (VNTA), said the regional sport event offers a golden opportunity for Vietnam to promote its tourism.

The Games is taking place in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring cities and provinces, from May 12-23 with the participation of nearly 5,000 athletes from 11 countries in the region. This is the second time Vietnam has hosted SEA Games, the first in 2003.

Two years after the 2003 SEA Games, the number of international tourists to Vietnam rose sharply, from 10-20 percent annually, Sieu said.

Prior to the ongoing SEA Games 31, scheduled to last until May 23, Vietnam started to fully reopen its borders on March 15, with a host of incentives towards both domestic and international visitors.

On the occasion of the Games, the VNTA has launched a special website at https://seagames31.vietnamtourism.gov.vn/ that gives an overview on Vietnam’s tourism as well as necessary information regarding visa, exit-entry  and medical procedures to foreign visitors.

The website also spotlights tourism in Hanoi and the 11 localities that host the Games - Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh, Hai Duong, Vinh Phuc, Bac Giang and Phu Tho.

Notably, “Let’s shine and live fully”, a welcome video clip for SEA Games 31, is also available on the website, featuring Vietnam’s most famous destinations like Phu Quoc island in the southern province of Kien Giang, Nha Trang resort city in the central province of Khanh Hoa, UNESCO-recognised Ha Long Bay in northern Quang Ninh province, and Son Doong - the world's largest cave - in the central province of Quang Binh, among others.

The administration has also utilised social networks like Facebook, Zalo, YouTube, and Instagram in the communication work.

The host cities and provinces have stepped up tourism promotion with suitable measures.

Nam Dinh province that is hosting games in Group B of the men’s football has launched a cuisine space introducing special dishes from different localities prepared by prestigious artisans.

At the Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho province, where Group A matches of men’s football are taking place, there are booths showcasing local products that meet One Commune-One Product (OCOP) standards and providing information on local tourism.

Hanoi capital city – the main venue of the SEA Games 31 – expects to welcome 1 million domestic visitors and 200,000 foreigners on this occasion.

The municipal Department of Tourism has focused on promoting such sites as the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature Complex), the Hoa Lo Prison, the Bat Trang ancient pottery village, the Ba Vi National Park, and the Duong Lam ancient village, among others.

Fourteen four- and five-star hotels in the city are offering services to foreign sport delegations, audiences and journalists.

SEA Games 31: Five golds for Vietnam on May 13

Vietnamese athletes clinched five golds in Wushu and Rowing at the ongoing 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) on May 13 morning, helping their hosts Vietnam retain top place in the medal table with 15 golds.

Rowers Pham Thi Hue and Dinh Thi Hao won a gold medal in the women's double sculls, clocking a time of eight minutes and 11.551 seconds.

Their teammates Ho Thi Ly, Luong Thi Thao, Nguyen Thi Giang, and Pham Thi Thao also brought home a gold medal in the lightweight women's quadruple sculls, finishing first with a time of seven minutes and 11.326 seconds

Meanwhile, Wushu martial artists Pham Huong Giang, Pham Quoc Khanh, and Duong Thuy Vi also pocketed three gold medals in different weight categories.

As of 12hrs on May 13, Vietnam retain their top place in the medal tally with 15 golds, leaving behind Malaysia and Indonesia with 11 and 5 golds respectively.

SEA Games 31: Pétanque athletes kick off competition

Pétanque events within the ongoing SEA Games 31 kicked off in Hanoi after an opening ceremony on May 13.   

A total of 98 athletes from six nations – host Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia – are set to join knockout matches, lasting 20 minutes each.

The matches are conducted in accordance with the statutes of the Asian Boules Sport Confederation. Throughout May 13, taking place are qualifying quarterfinals, semi-finals and the final matches among participating squads, with medals awarded in the afternoon.

Vietnam sent 19 athletes, including 10 males, to the events.

Fencers begin competitions at SEA Games 31, with eyes on medals

Fencing competitions of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) began on March 13, with Vietnam sending its aces to vie for medals.

On the day, fencers Nguyen Phuong Kim and Vu Thi Hong will compete in the women’s epee event, while Vu Thanh An and Nguyen Xuan Loi will begin their SEA Games tournament in the men’s sabre.

Fencing used to be one of Vietnam's top sports at the regional Games. In 2015, athletes picked up eight gold medals out of the 12 on offer. But at the following games in 2017 they only managed three out of six and in 2019, they lost their top spot winning just four out of 12.

Coach of the Vietnamese fencing team Pham Anh Tuan said that in the SEA Games 31, the team is confident of winning three gold medals.

Fencing events with 12 sets of medals are taking place at the Hanoi Indoor Games Gymnasium from May 13 to 18.

Hanoi holds banquet to celebrate SEA Games 31

The capital city of Hanoi on May 12 held a banquet to welcome the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), the biggest regional sports event with great cultural, political, diplomatic and economic significance that Vietnam is hosting.

The event was attended by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi Chu Ngoc Anh, and representatives from localities hosting SEA Games 31.

Foreign guests at event included Speaker of the Singaporean Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin; Minister of Education and Sports of Laos Phout Simmalavong; Minister of Tourism of Cambodia Thong Khon; President of the Olympic Committee of Myanmar U Min Thein Zan; Vice President of the Asian Olympic Council Gordon Tang; and representatives from ASEAN countries in Vietnam and heads of sports delegations to SEA Games 31.

Opening the function, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi Chu Ngoc Anh said that Vietnam is in an atmosphere of excitement for SEA Games 31, a special edition in the 63-year history of the regional sporting event. Along with preparations for the Games, Vietnam has rolled out measures to ensure safety against COVID-19, he said.

The SEA Games 31 is being held in Hanoi and other 11 localities from May 12-23 with 40 sports. Hanoi is hosting the opening and closing ceremonies and 16 sports events.

Thailand aims to win 112 gold medals at SEA Games 31

Thailand aims to win 112 gold medals at the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam which officially started on May 12, according to the Bangkok Post.
 
In an article on May 12, the newspaper reported that the Kingdom got the first gold on May 11 in pencak silat.

It noted that there are 40 sports offering 527 gold medals at the Vietnam Games which end on May 23. The sports include Olympic events such as athletics, swimming, boxing and football as well as regional ones like sepak takraw and pencak silat. There are also several martial arts including Muay Thai, kickboxing, vovinam, kurash and jiu-jitsu.

The article said Thailand have been the most successful nation in the tournament, with 13 overall crowns since the event was launched as the Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games in 1959.

However, the Thais have failed to finish top in the medal standings in the previous two Games.

The Thais were third overall with 92 golds at the 2019 edition in the Philippines.

Thailand are sending 189 athletes to Vietnam and the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) aims for the squad to win 112 gold medals.

SAT governor Gongsak Yodmani said the number should be good enough for Thailand to finish second overall behind Vietnam, adding that his agency targets the Thais to win 72 gold medals in "international sports".

According to the SAT's Elite Sports Development Department, there are 22 international sports at the Vietnam Games including swimming, athletics, boxing, cycling, football, weightlifting, golf, taekwondo, rowing, tennis, shooting and triathlon.

Gongsak said the SEA Games should be a venue for young athletes to hone their skills to become good enough for the Asian Games and the Olympics.

Thailand aim to win 12 gold medals in athletics, 10 in shooting and skeet, eight in rowing, five in boxing, five in sepak takraw, five in Muay Thai, four in football and futsal, three in taekwondo and three in dance sport, among others.

Malaysia, Singapore to host SEA Games in 2027, 2029

Malaysia and Singapore will host the 34th and 35th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2027 and 2029, respectively, according to the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF).

President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the decision to select Malaysia to host the 34th SEA Games in 2027 was agreed unanimously at the SEAGF Council meeting on May 12.

He thanked the SEAGF Council for the trust and belief in the Olympic Council of Malaysia.

It will be the seventh time Malaysia will host the region’s biennial sporting event, with the most recent being in 2017. 

Last year, the Malaysian council expressed the country’s interest to hold the 2027 Games, following Brunei's withdrawal. 

Meanwhile, Singapore was announced the hosts of the 35th SEA Games in 2029. The most recent Games it organised was in 2015.

The 31st SEA Games is underway in Vietnam until May 23, the second of its kind to be held in the country.

The 32nd Games will take place in Cambodia in 2023 and the 33rd in Thailand in 2025.   

SEA Games 31: Vietnam coach stays calm after win over Philippines in women’s football

Vietnam head coach Mai Duc Chung remained calm after his team’s 2-1 victory on May 11 over the Philippines, which are among the favourites to win the gold medal of SEA Games 31 women’s football, according to the Organising Committee.

Vietnam and the Philippines will be Southeast Asian representatives at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Philippine players launched massive attacks from kick-off and their captain Tahnai Annis opened the score with a header in the 15th minute.
 
Midfielder Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung equalised for Vietnam in the 37th minute thanks to an assist by Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy.
 
Vietnam’s No.8 Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang dribbled the ball through Philippine defenders and gave Vietnam the lead in early of the second half.
 
Vietnam are the reigning champions of SEA Games and striving to defend their title at this year’s Games on home soil.
 
The Philippine girls on May 9 trounced their Cambodian sisters 5-0 in the opener.
 
Chung said Vietnam faced various difficulties in the match as their rivals have better physique. Even though they conceded an early goal, Vietnamese players showed their unwavering spirits, the coach proudly stated.
 
He added that Vietnam are looking forward to upcoming matches and will exert efforts for victory.

SEA Games 31: SEAGF council meeting adopts reports, plans

The Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) Council Meeting took place in the morning of May 12 on the sidelines of the ongoing SEA Games 31, approving a number of reports and plans.

Participants expressed their opinions on enhancing the role of women in sports, and doping inspection timeline, among others. The representative of the SEA Games 32 Organising Committee in Cambodia also reported the progress of its related preparations, regarding the timeline and venues, the opening and closing ceremonies, competitions and sidelines conferences.

After the discussion, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Tran Duc Phan noted the meeting approved a report by the SEAGF’s office and a number of plans for the preparation of upcoming SEA Games editions, among others.

Despite COVID-19-induced difficulties, Vietnam has spared no effort for SEA Games 31 to run as scheduled, he said.

The official also stressed that Vietnam is determined to organise the event as well as possible and welcomes assistance from regional countries.

Asia’s biggest tennis court complex opens in Bac Ninh, ready for SEA Games 31

Tennis court complex Hanaka Paris Ocean Park, a venue for SEA Games 31 competitions in the northern province of Bac Ninh, has been named Asia’s biggest complex of its kind located in an urban area by the Asia Book of Records, according to the Organising Committee for SEA Games 31.

The 10-ha complex was officially inaugurated by its developer Hanaka Group JSC on May 10 evening. It was built in six months at a total cost of 120 billion VND (nearly 5.2 million USD).

Located in Hanaka Paris Ocean Park in Tu Son city, the complex has seven international-standard tennis courts, including one main covered tennis court and six outdoor tennis courts with a total capacity of over 5,000 seats.

The 3,000-seat main tennis court covers a floor area of 4,348 sq.m and has a height of 22.34m while the outdoor courts are built on a ground of 920sq.m each.

The main tennis court is equipped with retractable roof and hawk-eye systems, capable of hosting national and international tournaments meeting the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) standards.

Pencak Silat fighter wins first gold for Singapore at SEA Games 31

Pencak Silat fighter Iqbal Abdul Rahman won the first gold medal for Singapore at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) in Hanoi after beating Thailand's Ilyas Sadara in the artistic men’s tunggal (singles) finals on May 11, according to the Organising Committee. 

Iqbal, 28, garnered an average score of 9.960 from 10 judges in the final at the Bac Tu Liem Gymnasium to see off his opponent who scored 9.930.

Although Iqbal is a world champion and the Asian Championship gold medalist for four times, this was his first SEA Games triumph after five unsuccessful tries.

He had claimed a silver medal in the men's artistic singles at the last edition of SEA Games in 2019 in the Philippines and a bronze in SEA Games 2015 in his country.

Vietnamese women’s football team starts SEA Games 31 in ‘perfect fashion’: AFC

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has hailed the Vietnamese women’s football team 2-1 comeback win over the Philippines on May 11 at the ongoing SEA Games 31.

The Official AFC Asian Cup Facebook Page wrote that Vietnam opened their SEA Games Group A account on home soil in ‘perfect fashion’ with a win over the Philippines.   
 
Speaking to reporters following the game, head coach of Vietnam Mai Duc Chung said they faced various difficulties in the match as their rivals players have better physique.
 
Vietnamese footballers showed their unwavering spirits and are looking forward to upcoming matches with their sights on the championship, he added.  
 
As Indonesia had withdrawn, Group A pools Cambodia, the Philippines and the hosts Vietnam. The teams will play in a round-robin format to decide two qualifying for semi-finals.
 
Vietnam will play Cambodia at 7pm on May 14.

Photo exhibition on female athletes underway to welcome SEA Games 31

A photo exhibition on well-known Vietnamese female athletes is underway at Hanoi’s Vietnamese Women’s Museum to welcome the ongoing 31st Southeast Asian Games.

The exhibition, called “Khat vong toa sang” (Aspiration to shine), aims to encourage and enthuse Vietnamese female athletes to achieve more victories for the country.

On display are 60 photos of various athletes, many of whom are with disabilities, telling stories of these women and their struggles as professionals.

The photos are divided in three sections - “On the top of glory,” “After the glory,” and “The special moments”. 

The first depicts the athletes’ blood, sweat and tears to sharpen their skills and competencies before success comes; the second tells how these women had to sacrifice, even their own personal life, to bring glory to the motherland; and the third features their simple but full of happiness moments when they return home and reunite with their families after days of intensive training and tough competitions. 

The event will run through May 25.

SEA Games 31: Vietnam expects more golds in Kurash, Rowing, Kickboxing, Wushu

Vietnam hopes to clinch more gold medals on May 13 at the ongoing 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) as athletes are scheduled to compete in Kurash, Rowing, Kickboxing, Wushu and other sports of their strengths.

Vietnamese martial artists have won six out of a total of 10 gold medals in Kurash, surpassing their set target of taking five golds. They even get more golds when they are competing in the men’s 73kg weight category and the women’s 57kg & 70kg weight categories on May 13.

Five Vietnamese kickboxers have qualified for the final matches and they are all vying for gold medals on May 13. Nguyen Thi Hang Nga, Nguyen The Huong, Huynh Van Tuan, Nguyen Quang Huy, and Huynh Thi Kim Vang are Vietnamese hopefuls in five different weight categories.  

Vietnamese rowers are also competing in men’s lightweight quadruple and double sculls and women’s double sculls, hoping to receive more golds after they got two golds on May 11.

Also on May 13, Vietnamese athletes are competing in Fencing, Pancat Silat, Wushu, Bodybuilding, Sepak Takraw, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Tennis, Basketball, Golf and E-sports.

Vietnam currently tops the medal table with 10 golds, leaving behind Malaysia and Indonesia in second and third places with nine and three golds respectively.

Vietnam moves for Chinese chess glory

This year’s SEA Games is the first time that Chinese chess has been included in the competition, and the Vietnamese team are determined to take advantage. 

Eight excellent players from the country will take part in the Games: Lại Lý Huynh, Hà Văn Tiến, Nguyễn Minh Nhật Quang, Đặng Cửu Tùng Lân, Vũ Quốc Đạt, Nguyễn Thành Bảo, Nguyễn Hoàng Yến, and Lê Thị Kim Loan. They will compete in blitz, rapid and standard formats.

The gold medal hope in the men’s group rests on the shoulders of master Huynh, who is a 'treasure' of Vietnamese Chinese chess. He took the national title in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

In 2016, he was invited to compete in an all-Chinese team tournament. He also came second at the eighth Han Xin Cup Chinese chess International Masters in Sydney, Australia in 2016.

Bảo is considered an unknown force that could cause a few upsets. In 2009, he won a team and individual silver medal at the World Chinese Chess Championship and a team silver medal at the Asian Indoor Games.

In 2010, Bảo took silver at the Asian Games. One year later, he won silver again in the team event and bronze in the individual event. At the national championship, he won gold.

In 2021, he returned to competition and had regular friendly matches with famous players at home and abroad. Through these matches, it became obvious he was extremely strong.

In this year’s national championship, Bảo came second behind Quang.

In the women's group, Yến hopes to bring home a medal. She was a two-time runner-up in the World Championships as well as the winner at the fourth World Summit of Intellectual Sports in 2014, marking a turning point for Vietnamese chess. In 2016, she won the national championship in three categories.

Yến has played chess from an early age. She joined the chess team in HCM City’s District 3 at the age of 10. In 2007, when she was 15 years old, she won silver at the national chess tournament.

To prepare for the regional Games, Vietnamese players have honed their skills and gained experience in domestic events.

Tô Quốc Khanh, head of the Chinese chess section of the National Sports Administration, said that Vietnamese players are confident in competing at the Games and their goal is to strive for the highest possible results.

Coach Võ Minh Nhất said that all players have special personalities, but they are stable and in good form, so they are expected to gain great results.

Việt Nam’s opponents are mainly from Singapore and Malaysia, which have Chinese chess heritage. However, if Việt Nam plays confidently, they will not give their rivals a chance.

The Chinese chess tournament will begin on May 14 and last until May 20 in the northern province of Quảng Ninh. 

Wushu athletes hope for record medal tally

Wushu athletes are hoping to bring home more golds than ever before for Việt Nam, affirming the country's position in the martial arts world arena. 

The Vietnamese wushu team has not had the opportunity to go abroad to train to improve their skills in recent years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Internal testing sessions helped wushu taolu athletes get used to the competition conditions as well as perfect their movements to be the most proficient.

Wushu taolu mainly focuses on movements such as kicks, balance, push, movement, jumps and somersaults. The flexibility of the athletes combined with the movements will give viewers the feeling that this martial art is soft but strong.

The presence of veteran fighters will help wushu taolu's members to be more confident when competing at home turf this time. They are Dương Thúy Vi, Phạm Quốc Khánh, Trần Thị Minh Huyền, Nguyễn Thị Trang, and Bùi Trường Giang.

Vi is one of the best Vietnamese wushu athletes to compete in the event, and she said she will do her utmost to bring home a gold medal. Vi said the team are in the final stages of intensive training for the regional sports event, which requires high concentration.

Coaches have regularly conducted tests to assess their preparations and Vi has expressed her determination to compete in the Games.

“I have waited for this opportunity to perform in the Games at home for a long time. For me, apart from good luck, it is my honour to compete in the Games,” she said, noting that despite significant pressure when competing as a host athlete. She said she believed that the cheers from the crowd will be a great source of encouragement to her and others.

Another wushu athlete competing at SEA Games 31 is Trần Thị Minh Huyền. At the SEA Games 30 in 2019, Minh Huyền won a silver medal in the content of taiji jian and a bronze medal in taiji. This year, the coaching staff hope that with her experience, she will change the colour of both medals.

Phạm Quốc Khánh is the oldest wushu athlete to compete at the SEA Games 31. Khánh got a gold medal in the SEA Games 30 in 2019 in the Philippines in wushu taolu. He has competed in seven consecutive SEA Games, with some success.

At the SEA Games 31, the wushu team's coaching staff will introduce some new faces, including athlete Đặng Tiểu Bình, Nông Văn Hữu, Nguyễn Văn Phương, and Trần Thị Kiều Trang.

Interspersed with technical training sessions, and internal tests, the coaching staff also focused on physical training for athletes, so that they have the best chance of success in the competition.

In the content of taiji and taiji jian for men and women this year, the team also introduced two faces that promise to create surprises, Trần Thị Kiều Trang and Nguyễn Văn Phương. 

Wushu sanshou, is a martial art that can cause damage, accompanied by strikes and kicks at fast speed with strong force. Therefore, athletes must wear protective gear when training to avoid injuries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the team's international training and competition plans. The whole team has to practice running and competing internally every weekend to maintain their fitness.

Although there are no conditions to evaluate and know the level of competitors in the region, the whole team is still determined to protect Trường Giang's achievement of one gold medal in the 60kg content and promises to create surprises in the remaining weight classes. 

U23 Vietnam vs U23 Myanmar – tough clash for both sides

U23 Vietnam are scheduled to play U23 Myanmar in a Group A match on May 13 evening as part of the ongoing 31st SEA Games – a fixture described as tough for both sides.

Myanmar are currently leading Group A with six points after two matches, two points higher than Vietnam in second place.

In the event that Vietnam win the match, the current SEA Games champions will likely cruise to the semi-finals, as they will face underdogs Timor Leste in the final group match.

In case Myanmar outplay Vietnam, they will have nine points and progress through to the semi-finals. If this scenario happens, U23 Vietnam will be at a huge disadvantage as they will no longer have their fate in their own hands.

Most pundits believe Vietnam are stronger than Myanmar and they have strong support from home fans. Their goalless draw against the Philippines in their opener means they are now under mounting pressure to beat Myanmar to go through the knockout stage.

In their first two games Myanmar defeated weak rivals Timor Leste and the Philippines 3-2 each.

Vietnam stunned Myanmar 2-0 in a friendly match in 2019, and they are required to make better use of scoring chances if they want to overwhelm their opponents in the home turf again this time.

Striker Tien Linh who scored a goal three years ago is now playing for the U23 side and is the main threat in attack for the host team.

Meanwhile, U23 Myanmar boast a strong defense line and this is a big challenge for hosts Vietnam.

Vietnam will take on Myanmar at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho province at 7 p.m. on May 13.

Archer Nhi aims high in Games debut

Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhi is going to take part in her first Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. The competition will be memorable for her as she will compete on home ground as the Games returns to Việt Nam for the second time.

Nhi is a new face of the national team but is expected to top the podium after being a phenomenon at this year's National Top Archery Champions.

At the tournament, the 21-year-old was against many strong rivals, including Tokyo Olympian Đỗ Thị Ánh Nguyệt in the recurve disciplines.

But these strong competitors could not scare Nhi, and the Huế City-born athlete grabbed top positions in the five categories of the 30m, 50m, 60m, 70m, and all-round recurve, and two silvers in other classes.

"It is the first time that an athlete has made such incredible results," said Phan Trọng Quân, a member of the organising board. "No one has grabbed five individual titles in one tournament like Nhi before."

Her successful performance gave coaches no choice but to pick her for the national team.

Hanoi offers free bus services to SEA Games 31 delegates

Hanoi will provide free bus services for delegates, including athletes, coaches and reporters, who participate in the ongoing SEA Games 31.

With the double-decker buses running between 9 am and 5 pm every day, delegates can see 25 streets and tourist spots like the Hanoi Opera House, St. Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi Flag Tower, Late President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, Hoa Lo Prison, and the Vietnamese Women’s Museum.

The buses are equipped with an automatic narration system in 10 languages, including Vietnamese, English and French, to talk about Hanoi’s culture and history.

From Monday to Friday, buses will start from Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square on Dinh Tien Hoang Street with a frequency of 60 minutes. On Saturday and Sunday, they will depart from Hanoi Opera House with the same frequency.

Source: VNA/VOV/VNN