The Vietnamese delegation took second place in the 16th Southeast Asian Student Sports Festival in Laos with 110 medals.

Ngu Duy Anh, Director of the Ministry of Education and Training’s Student Affairs Department received the Vietnamese athletes on their return home

The closing ceremony of the festival was organised at the Laos National Stadium on the evening of December 20 after a week of competition.

The Vietnamese team include 258 athletes, coaches and officials.

Vietnamese students took part in 12 out of 17 sports, including athletics, Pencak silat, women’s football, swimming, table-tennis, Teakwondo, Karatedo, women’s volleyball, badminton, Muay boran, and Judo.

Vietnamese athletes won 56 gold medals, 35 silver medals and 28 bronze medals.

The Malaysian delegation took the lead with 175 medals, including 60 gold medals.

Thai team finished third with 148 medals, including 42 gold medals while Indonesia took fourth place with 150 medals including 41 gold medals.

The Vietnamese delegation was warmly welcomed home this morning December 21 in the presence of Ngu Duy Anh, Director of the Ministry of Education and Training’s Student Affairs Department and leaders of Vinh University.

Athlete Mai Hoang My Trang, a student from HCM City University of Physical Education and Sports, who won four gold medals at the festival said, “I’m very happy to attend such a regional sport festival. This is a good chance for Vietnamese students to exchange experiences with our regional friends and improve their performances.”

The festival is a biennial event organised by the Association of Southeast Asian Student Sports and Physical Education Festival.

At the 15th Southeast Asian Student Sports Festival in Thailand in 2010, the Vietnamese delegation finished fourth with 34 gold medals, 16 silver medals and 14 bronze medals.

Vietnamese athletes left a good impression

Athletes shares their results with students at Vinh University