VietNamNet Bridge – After shuttle cock, Vovinam has become the second sport of Vietnam at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
Vietnam’s shuttle cock appeared for the first time at the SEA Games 22 in 2003, and Vovinam will become an official sport at the SEA Games this year.

As all countries want to add their traditional sports to the SEA Games, it is an achievement when Vovinam passes other martial arts, like Muay Thai or stick martial art of the Philippines to enter the SEA Games 2011, said Hoang Vinh Giang, Vice chair cum Secretary general of the Vietnam Olympic Committee.

The path to bring Vovinam to the world began from two events: the flash of idea to turn a Vietnamese martial art into an international martial art like pencak silat or Indonesia or Muay Thai of Thailand, and Vietnam’s host of the 3rd Asian Outdoor Games 2009.

Vovinam was selected because five years ago, this martial art was practiced in 35 countries around the world, with hundreds of thousands of practioners, mainly in France and Spain. Many foreign Vovinam practitioners come to Vietnam annually to train and compete for higher levels. Many countries had national Vovinam federations, such as France, Spain, Italy, Rumani, Australia, the USA, Switzerland, Germany, Morocco, etc. organized annual Vovinam championships. Many European Vovinam Championships were held.

This was the important premise for the establishment of the Vietnam Vovinam Federation and International Vovinam Federtion in 2008. The Asian Vovinam Federation was formed in 2009, the European Vovinam Federation in 2010. A Vovinam troupe followed officials of the Vietnam Olympic Committee to meetings of the Asian Olympic Council and the SEA Games Council to perform in order to attract the attention of delegates and give them some knowledge of Vovinam.

Vovinam’s interesting performances impressed many people, including Ali Abadi, Vice chairman of the Asian Olympic Council, who always supports the development of Vovinam in Asia.

Vovinam was accepted at the 3rd Asian Indoor Games 2009 and became an official sport at competitions organized by the Asian Sports Council. Indonesia, the host of SEA Games 2011, also agreed to add Vovinam to this year’s SEA Games.

Vovinam competition will be held in Jakarta from October 14 to 16. Five countries – Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia and Myanmar – will compete for 14 sets of medals. However, there are eight Southeast Asian countries practicing Vovinam at present.

The International Vovinam Federation is campaigning for the acceptance of Vovinam at the SEA Games 2013 in Myanmar.

Created in Hanoi in 1938 by Master Nguyen Loc, Vovinam can be performed with or without weapons for self-defense. It is a combination of different Vietnamese and foreign traditional martial arts and wrestling techniques.

PV