Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Thailand edges Vietnam to win SEA Games
By Denis D. Gray
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 19 - 12 - 2009

Regional powerhouse Thailand won the gold medals race at the 25th Southeast Asian Game by just three medals against a greatly improved team from Vietnam that it battled to the last moments of Friday's last day.
The Thais finished with 86 golds and a total metal count of 266 at the 11-nation event, with Vietnam taking 83 and 215 medals overall. Indonesia was third with 43 golds and 170 medals. Seventy games records were set during the 12 days of competition.
On the final day, the Thais and Vietnamese took two golds apiece. Vietnam won two in shooting while Thailand captured mixed doubles tennnis and women's team petanque, a French version of lawn bowls harkening back to colonial days in Indochina. Myanmar picked up two in sepak takraw, the Philippines won the men's tennis singles and Laos the men's team petanque. The games unveiled a Vietnamese team that had shown remarkable improvement since the 2007 games at which host Thailand amassed 182 golds and a total of 406 medals against Vietnam's 64 golds and 204 overall.
The Thais were expected to capture more than 100 gold medals in Vientiane, but Vietnam had demonstrated at these games the benefit of large amounts of government funding for sports and improved coaching.
“They're very committed and they have taken the Southeast Asian games seriously. I am impressed,” said Malaysia's Minister of Youth and Sports Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
Track coach Ho Thi Thu Tam said an example of the intensive, pre-games training was the athletics team which was sent to the southern Chinese province of Yunnan to run at altitudes of up to 1,900 meters. Four of her charges won golds at Vientiane.
But in the most popular event of the games, favored Vietnam suffered an unlikely 1-0 defeat in the football final after an 84th minute own goal by Vietnam's Mai Xuan Hop handed victory to Malaysia. Hop sank to the ground and wept.
The hosts received high marks from athletes, coaches and officials for running the games with surprising efficiency mixed with traditional Lao hospitality and a laidback style. The sporting event, staged in one of the world's poorest nations, was the biggest in the country's history and probably the largest national event since celebrations of independence from France in 1947.


Clic here to read the story from its source.