Wednesday, November 4, 2009

ASEAN Primary School Sport Olympiad opened

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Education Minister Prof Dr Muhammad Nuh opened the ASEAN Primary School Sport Olympiad (APSSO) III/2009 here on Tuesday.

"Enjoy the competition. We hope brotherhood among ASEAN member countries will rise. Enjoy making achievements," he said in his opening remarks.

Around 300 athletes and officials from eight countries attended the event.

The opening ceremony was also attended by state minister for sports and youth affairs Andi Mallarangeng, the general chairperson of the Indonesian National Sports Committee, Rita Subowo, and representative officials from sport branches competed in the event.

The eight countries participating in the event are Indonesia with 113 athletes and officials, Brunei Darussalam (24), Malaysia (36), Myanmar (13), the Philippines (36), Singapore (30), Thailand (9) and Vietnam (39). Laos and Cambodia were absent.

The ASEAN athletes would compete in five branches in the event.

The number of participants rose from last year when only seven countries took part.

Thailand however would only play in the badminton event while Myanmar in football. Indonesia fields 113 athletes because as the host it has a right to field three teams namely Indonesia 1, 2 and 3.

Last year Indonesia came out as the overall winner collecting 12 gold medals, nine silver and 11 bronze medals from five branches competed.

The country`s success in the event for elementary school children did not include the football event which was won by Malaysia who beat Indonesia through penalty kicks.
Indonesia was also the overall champion in the APSSO I/2007 winning six gold, five silver and four bronze medals from three branches competed.

Source:: Antaranews

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