Events 372 Opening ceremony 9 December 2009 End date December 18, 2009 Nations participating 11 | Sports 25 Start date 2009 | |
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Motto Generosity Amity Healthy Lifestyle Other Instances 2023 Southeast Asian Ga, 2019 Southeast Asian Ga, 2017 Southeast Asian Ga, 2015 Southeast Asian Ga, 2013 Southeast Asian Ga | ||
The 2009 Southeast Asian Games (Lao: ກີລາພູມິພາກອາຊີຕາເວັນອອກສຽງໃຕ້ 2009)(Hepburn: kila phoumipak asi taven oak siang tai 2009), officially known as the 25th Southeast Asian Games was a multi-sport event held in Vientiane, Laos, from 9 to 18 December 2009 with 372 in 25 sports and disciplines featured in the games.
Contents
- Host city
- Venues
- Logo
- Mascot
- Songs
- Sponsors
- Opening ceremony
- Closing ceremony
- Sports
- Medal table
- Concerns and controversies
- References
This was the first time Laos had held the Southeast Asian Games (Laos had previously declined hosting the 1965 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games citing financial difficulties). It has also commemorated the 50 years of the SEA Games. A number of competitions started prior to the opening ceremony on 9 December, including the football, water polo, pencak silat and table tennis competitions. The first gold medal of the 2009 Games was awarded to a team representing Singapore, who won their 23rd consecutive water polo tournament in the history of the Games. Laos is the ninth nation to host the games after Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam and the fifth nation to host the Southeast Asian Games in the 21st Century and the 3rd millennium after Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand. The games is the 5th Southeast Asian Games in the 21st Century and the 5th Southeast Asian Games in the 3rd millennium.
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.
Host city
Vientiane, the capital city of Laos is the host of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games. This decision came during the Southeast Asian Games Federation meeting during the 2003 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
Venues
The 25th Southeast Asian Games had 27 venues for the games.
New National Sport Complex
National University of Laos
Lao international Trade Exhibition and Convention Center
Beung Kha Nong Sports Centre
Other venues
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.
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" when translated into English. 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.
Songs
A few songs were written for the games, which included The Spirit of the Flame, the theme song of the games which was written and performed by Sam Intharaphithak. 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 and "Vietiane Games" which was sung by Buratino. A Beerlao Campaign song for the games was also composed.
Sponsors
A total of 12 Sponsors, comprising 8 Official Partners and 4 Official Sponsors sponsored the 2009 Southeast Asian Games.
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony of the 2009 SEA Games was held at 19:00 (LST) at the New Laos National Stadium. The ceremony began with the arrival of the then President Choummaly Sayasone and several guests of honour to the stadium. This was followed by a scoreboard countdown and the parade of athletes from the participating nations led by a troop of Lao People's Armed Forces personnel consists of a military 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. 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.
Closing ceremony
The closing ceremony of the 2009 Sea Games reflected much of the culture of the host nation Laos, showing spectacular traditional and modern dances. The hosting rights of the SEA Games was then handed over to Indonesia, host of the 2011 Southeast Asian Games.
Sports
Because of the limited sports facilities in Vientiane and Laos' lack of a coastline, only 25 disciplines 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.
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.
* Host nation (Laos)
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. 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.
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. Laos accepted funding from China, Japan, Vietnam and the ASEAN nations to construct the appropriate sports facilities. 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.