2009 Southeast Asian Games

25th Southeast Asian Games

Host city	Vientiane
Country	Laos
Motto	Generosity Amity Healthy Lifestyle
Nations participating	11
Athletes participating	3100
Events	372
Sports	25
Opening ceremony	9 December 2009
Closing ceremony	18 December 2009
Officially opened by	Choummaly Sayasone President of Laos
Athlete's Oath	Mayuly Phanouvong
Judge's Oath	Somphone Manikham
Torch lighter	Phoxay Aphailath Wushu
Main venue	New Laos National Stadium
Website	2009 Southeast Asian Games
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The 2009 Southeast Asian Games (Lao: ກີລາພູມິພາກອາຊີຕາເວັນອອກສຽງໃຕ້ 2009, translit. Kila phoumipak asi taven oak siang tai 2009), officially known as the 25th Southeast Asian Games was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event hosted by Vientiane, Laos. This was the first time Laos had held the Southeast Asian Games as Laos had previously declined hosting the 1965 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games citing financial difficulties.

The games commemorated 50 years of SEA Games and was held from 9 to 18 December 2009, although several events had commenced from 2 December 2009. Around 3100 athletes from 11 participating nations competed at the Games, which featured 372 events in 25 sports. Laos is the ninth nation to host the games after Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam. The games was opened and closed by Choummaly Sayasone, the President of Laos at the New Laos National Stadium.

The final medal tally was led by Indonesia, followed by Thailand and Vietnam with host Laos in seventh place. Several games, Asian and national records were broken during the games. Though there were several controversies, the Games were deemed generally successful with Laos first Southeast Asian Games hosting experience and with the rising standard of competition amongst the Southeast Asian nations.

Organisation

Host city

Vientiane, the capital city of Laos is the host of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games. The decision came during the Southeast Asian Games Federation meeting at the 2003 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.^[1]

Development and preparation

The Laos 25th SEA Games Organising Committee (LAOSOC) led by president Somsavath Lengsavath was formed to oversee the staging of the games.^[2]

Venues

The 2009 Southeast Asian Games used mostly new and some existing venues with the centrepiece of the activities being the new National Sport Complex. Incorporating the new 25,000-seat national stadium, it hosted most of the events. Athletes were housed at the National University of Laos, which was chosen as the games village.^[3]

The 25th Southeast Asian Games had 27 venues for the games.^[4]

City	Competition Venue	Sports
Vientiane	New National Sport Complex
	New Laos National Stadium	Opening and closing ceremony, Athletics, Football (Men)
	Aquatics stadium	Aquatics (Swimming, Diving, Water polo), Finswimming
	Archery range	Archery
	Gymnasium 1	Badminton
	Beech Volleyball Stadium	Volleyball (Beech)
	Gymnasium 2	Volleyball (Indoor)
	Shooting range	Shooting
	Tennis court	Tennis
	National University of Laos
	University Stadium	Football (Women)
	Olympasia Gymnasium	Boxing
	Convention hall	Table tennis
	Booyong Gymnasium	Taekwondo, Wrestling
	Petanque court	Petanque
	Lao international Trade Exhibition and Convention Center
	Hall 1	Sepak takraw
	Hall2	Wushu
	Hall 3	Pencak silat
	Beung Kha Nong Sports Centre
	Lao-Thai Gymnasium	Muay
	Gymnasium 1	Shuttlecock
	Others
	That Luang, Lan Xang Avenue, Samsenethai, Thadeua km10, T4, Kaysone Road	Cycling (Individual time trial)
	Done Noune Tri Square, Ban Keun, return (Men: Thalath Market, Women: Pakkhanhoung)	Cycling (Mass start)
	Dane Song	Cycling (Mountain bike: Downhill)
	Tad Sone	Cycling (Mountain bike: Cross country)
	Donchan Palace Hotel	Billiards and snooker
	Chao Anouvong Stadium	Football (Men and Women)
	Chao Anouvong Gymnasium	Judo, Karate
	SEA Games Golf Course	Golf
	Pornsawan School	Weightlifting

Public transport

Lao Association of Travel Agents provided bus services during the Games to fetch volunteers between the city and outlying venues and transport athletes and performers to and from the games village, airport, the city, the games venues and within Laos. Car services were also available in the city throughout the games period.^[5]

Countdown

The countdown to the 25th SEA Games was held at the Chao Anouvong stadium on 31 December 2008, featured programmes such as the New Year celebrations, a show from Miss SEA Games contestants, performances by various artists, and a fireworks display. A countdown clock was also placed at a nearby shopping mall and the Patuxay Monument in Vientiane.^[6][7]

Marketing

Logo

The logo of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games is the image of the Pha That Luang, the national landmark and shrine of Laos beside the Mekong River. The shrine represents Laos as the host of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games and the Lao Culture, Arts and History, whereas the Mekong River, resembled by three wavy lines below the shrine, represents the origin of life, culture and lifestyle of Lao people especially in sports. The river itself also represents the integration of the Southeast Asian countries and the friendship made through sport competition.^[8]

Mascot

The mascots of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games are two white elephants dressed in traditional Lao attire named Champa, the male elephant and Champi the female elephant. The two white elephants symbolises the host nation, Laos as it was known as the kingdom of Lan Xang in ancient times, which literally means "the kingdom of a million elephants". The cheerful expression on the faces of the mascots represents the joyful and lively atmosphere during the games and warm welcome from Laos as the host country of the 25th SEA Games.^[9][10]

Songs

33 songs were written for the games,^[11] which included The Spirit of the Flame, the theme song of the games which was written and performed by Sam Intharaphithak.^[12] Other songs included "Go Laos" which was sung by Sam Intharaphithak, Nalin Daravong, and Kave, "SEA Games Harmony" which was sung by Sithiphone, Sam Intharaphithak, Gai, Malya and Poui^[13] and "Vietiane Games" which was sung by Buratino.^[14] A Beerlao Campaign song for the games was also composed.^[15][16]

Sponsors

A total of 12 Sponsors, comprising 8 Official Partners and 4 Official Sponsors sponsored the 2009 Southeast Asian Games.^[17]

The games

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games was held on 9 December 2009 at 18:10 (LST) at the New Laos National Stadium. The ceremony preceded with the arrival of the then President Choummaly Sayasone and several guests of honour to the stadium. This was followed by announcement of the ceremony commencement by announcers, the scoreboard countdown and the parade of athletes from the participating nations led by Lao Police Force band and flag bearers carrying the flags of the games and the flags of the participating nations began with the Bruneian delegation. The Lao delegation, the largest of all participating nations with 733 athletes and officials, received the warmest welcome from the audiences when they marched into the stadium.^[18][1] After all the contingent marched into the stadium, the National Flag of Laos and the games' flags were raised as the National Anthem of Laos is played. After that, Somsavat Lengsavad, the Standing Deputy Prime Minister of Laos and the chairman of the 25th Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee gave the welcome speech and president Choummaly then declared the games opened. Mayuly Phanouvong took the athlete's oath, while the judge's oath was taken by Somphone Manikham. Later, a group of athletes passes the flame during the torch relay one after another before Phoxay Aphailath, lit the flame on an arrow carried by a man dressed as Sang Sinxay. The man who dressed as Sang Sinxay then aim the arrow lit by the flame from Phoxay with his bow carried with him at the cauldron, shoot and lit it instantly, symbolised the beginning of the games. After the cauldron was lit, the athletes took part at the parade earlier were escorted out of the stadium by the Lao Police Force, making way for the dance performance which concluded the ceremony. The dance performance includes segments such as Welcome dance for SEA Games, Forest, streams and life, Sinxay of Modern Times, Bright Future, In Harmony towards the future, Golden rice field and the light of righteousness.

Closing ceremony

The closing ceremony of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games was held on 18 December 2009 at 18:10 (LST) at the New Laos National Stadium. The ceremony preceded with the arrival of the then President Choummaly Sayasone and several guests of honour to the stadium. It began with the parade of athletes by order of sports competed, followed by the closing speech of the games chairman, Songsavad Lengsavad, the lowering of the flag of Laos and the games flag and the extinguish of the games cauldron. The hosting rights of the SEA Games was then handed over to Indonesia, host of the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in which Andy Mallarangeng, the Minister of Youth and sports of Indonesia receiving the flag as its symbol. The Indonesia segment dance performance Gather together again, was performed by Indonesian dancers. The ceremony concluded with the Lao farewell segment dance performance which included Paddy Trash, Lao New Year, Rocket Festival and boat racing festival.^[19][20]

Participating nations

Sports

Because of the limited sports facilities in Vientiane and Laos' lack of a coastline, only 25 sports featured in the programme, compared to 43 held in the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. Among the Olympic sports removed from the Games were baseball, canoeing, sailing, gymnastics, hockey, rowing, fencing, triathlon, equestrian, softball and basketball.^[21][22][23]

Key

¹ – non-Olympic sports

ʰ – sports absent from previous edition and reintroduced by the host country

Calendar

Medal table

A total of 1246 medals, comprising 372 gold medals, 374 silver medals, and 500 bronze medals were awarded to athletes. The Host Laos performance was their best ever yet in Southeast Asian Games history and was placed seventh overall amongst participating nations.^[24][25]

Key

  *   Host nation (Laos)

2009 Southeast Asian Games medal table

Rank	NOC	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Thailand (THA)	86	83	97	266
2	Vietnam (VIE)	83	75	57	215
3	Indonesia (INA)	43	53	74	170
4	Malaysia (MAS)	40	40	59	139
5	Philippines (PHI)	38	35	51	124
6	Singapore (SIN)	33	30	35	98
7	Laos (LAO)*	33	25	52	110
8	Myanmar (MYA)	12	22	37	71
9	Cambodia (CAM)	3	10	27	40
10	Brunei (BRU)	1	1	8	10
11	Timor-Leste (TLS)	0	0	3	3
Total (11 NOCs)		372	374	500	1246

Broadcasting

The games were broadcast live on 14 radio and television channels and websites in six countries.^[26][27]

Brunei

• Radio Television Brunei

Laos

• Lao National Television, Lao Star Television, Lao National Radio

Myanmar

• MRTV-4

Singapore

• Mediacorp Channel 5

Thailand

• National Broadcasting Services of Thailand, Channel 7 (Thailand), Royal Thai Army Radio and Television Channel 5, TOT Public Company Limited, CAT Telecom, Thai Public Broadcasting Service

Vietnam

• Vietnam Multimedia Corporation, Vietnam Television

Malaysia's TV3^[28] and TV2^[29] only broadcast the Games' Men's Football events.

Concerns and controversies

Prior to the games, the Laotian organising committee was criticised for reducing the number of sports. This had been done partly because Laos has no coastline (rendering sailing, windsurfing and triathlon infeasible), and a general lack of sporting facilities in Vientiane.^[21] The inclusion of a number of Olympic sports, previously uncontested at the SEA Games, were interpreted as a bid for greater coverage of the Games in Laos. Few critics stated that Laos specifically selected games in which they had a better chance of winning gold medals. The decision to remove basketball from the programme was an unpopular one.^[22]

Many countries, including the Philippines – the defending champions for the men's division – offered to help to host the Games but Laos rejected these offers.^[30] Laos accepted funding from China, Japan, Vietnam and the ASEAN nations to construct the appropriate sports facilities including the USD 100 million New Laos National Stadium and USD 19 million Games village.^[31] Although prior criticisms had been levelled over the reduced programme and financing of facilities, upon commencement, the Games received a largely positive reaction from the other competing nations. The Games were considered a success for Laos, one of the poorest countries in the world, and a nation which had only sent four athletes to the 2008 Olympic Games.^[32]

See also

• 2009 ASEAN Para Games

References

External links

• 2009 Southeast Asian Games Official Website
• 25th SEA Games Laos Official Report Part 1
• 25th SEA Games Laos Official Report Part 2

Preceded by 2007 Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

Southeast Asian Games

Succeeded by 2011 Jakarta & Palembang, Indonesia