Ceremony to present prizes in honour of medal winning sport teams in 31st SEA Games held Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivers speech, presents cash awards
NAY PYI TAW June 3
The ceremony to present prizes in honour of medal winning sports teams in the 31 SEA Games organized in Vietnam by the State was held at Wunna Thidi Stadium (B) in Nay Pyi Taw this morning and Chairmanof State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivered an address at the ceremony and presented honorary prizes to the teams.
Also present at the ceremony together with the Senior General were Vice Chairman of SAC Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, members of the SAC, the chief justice of the union, the chairman of the Constitutional Tribunal, union ministers, the auditor general of the union, the chairman of the union civil service board, the chairman of the Nay Pyi Taw Council, the governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar, senior officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, the commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command, deputy ministers, members of Myanmar Olympic Council chairmen and vice chairmen of Myanmar Sports Federations, invited guests, athletes, managers and coaches who help raise the image of the country and responsible officials.
In delivering a speech in honour of the sports teams, the Senior General said sports can reflect the health and fitness, perseverance, diligence and unity of a country and a people and sports competitions amount to fair contests of capabilities.
Similarly, it is known to all that as sports can win the hearts and minds of citizens while strengthening national spirit by vitalizing the image of the country and patriotism and inspiring the will to win in competition, every country in the world exerts efforts to promote the sport standards of their countries.
In other words, it can be seen that athletes are exerting efforts at their best to express their sport capabilities by participating in local, regional and international sport events with the aim of raising the standards of health, fitness and sport standards of citizens.
A total of 390 participants including 293 athletes and 97 managers and coaches from Myanmar took part in 20 sporting events in the 31st SEA Games.
They were urged to contribute to the image of the country by competing their best and to try to be honoured by raising the state flag of the country during the ceremony to hand over the state flag before they went to the games. Thanks to their efforts, a total of 62 medals including nine gold medals, 18 silver medals and 35 bronze medals and the country ranked seventh among 11 countries that participated in the games.
They deserve pride and gratitude as they honestly competed based on the will to win in sport competition, they were able to raise the image of the country with their sport skills by bringing medals for the State.
As they are the prideworthy athletes of the country, managers and coaches who were capable of raising the state flag and playing the national anthem of Myanmar in the international community, they are being honoured now as they deserve.
During the participation of Myanmar in SEA Games, which have been organized 31 times, 382 athletes for 29 sport events won 37 medals including seven golds in the 29th SEA Games, 351 athletes for 31 sport events won 73 medals including four golds in the 30th SEA Games and 293 athletes for 20 sport events won 62 medals including nine golds in the recent 31st SEA Games.
It is undeniable that they have achieve success in terms of the number of prizes. However, theyhad a lot of time to practice their sporting techniques at home and abroad as the games were delayed by COVID-19. It is important to review whether they received the records they made during their practice sessions. It was found that there were some weaknesses in terms of technique, stamina and fitness in some sports when competitions were viewed via television and YouTube. It can be concluded that more efforts should have been made. Although reviews and improvement are made after every competition, it is necessary to find out the reason why progress could not be made as much as it should have been. It is also found that some smaller countries with lower population than Myanmar fielded fewer athletes and won more medals in the 31st SEA Games. It must be questioned whether there were differences in terms of records, fitness and techniques because they fielded fewer athletes for fewer events.
Sports must not be confused with financial matters (money) and politics. Athletes represent their countries up to the Olympic events. It is necessary for athletes to exert efforts not only for SEA Games but also for Asia regional level ones and then for international level ones. We are ready to support athletes while every qualified athlete is required to possess enthusiasm to represent the country as it is the image of the country.
The efforts, perseverance, spirit and success of Myanmar athletes in the recent games will be put into records and honoured as they were able to secure a rank the country deserved despite the fact that Myanmar sent the fewer number of athletes for fewer sport competitions in the recent games.
Moreover, they are also honoured as the athletes for various sports federations brought golds, silvers and bronzes for the country by competing in fair manner in accordance with sport rules and regulations in full sporting spirit.
As announced before the games, Ks-30 million, Ks-20 million and Ks-10 million will be rewarded to gold medal winners, silver medal winners and bronze medal winners in individual sports respectively.
Each athlete whose team won golds, silvers or bronzes will be offered Ks- 10 million, Ks-7 million and Ks- 3.5 million respectively. Each coach for respective sports whose team won golds, silvers or bronzes will be offered Ks- 10 million,Ks- 5 million and Ks- 3 million will be offered respectively.
Managements of teams which won golds, silvers and bronzes will be offered Ks- 10 million, Ks- 5 million and Ks- 3 million respectively. A total of Ks- 1,327 million will be offered as cash rewards which is believed to contribute to decent improvement of social lives of athletes of respective sports. The government will offer necessary support as athletes exert relentless efforts to improve the image of the country.
The athletes are urged to give concentration on achieving more success in international sports events to come with a combined sense of perseverance, diligence, efforts, discipline and fighting spirit as the way that they responded to the State, the people, well-wishers, presidents, vice-presidents and officials who encouraged and lauded them by winning prizes and bringing honour to the State.
The South East Asian Games is the most prestigious games in the region. It is the games that put ASEAN nations’ sports standard to be tested and the games that compare sports standard of a nation with others’.
All the athletes and officials, who have brought honour to the State in that games, are honoured and recorded. The athletes are seriously urged to make up-most efforts in preparations for international sports events including 32nd SEA Games to be held from May 5 to 17 in Cambodia in 2023 for more achievement.
The athletes are also urged to keep working hard so that they will become a new generation of good citizens and outstanding athletes who are able to advance to Asian and world class levels from the level of representing a region concerned and a nation by achieving more victories in international sports events.
Next, Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs U Min Thein Zan reported on the state of involvement in the 31st SEA Games.
Then, cash prizes were awarded to medal winning athletes in the SEA Games, coaches and managers. The Senior General presented the prizes to Maung Manar Kwee, Maung Aik Soe Lin, Maung Zin Lin Tun, Maung Zaw Zaw, Maung Aung Khaing Lin, Maung Yazar Tun, Maung Hein Htet Aung, Maung Kyaw Thu Soe Aung, Ma Khaing Wah Phu, and Ma May Honey Aung Lwin who won gold medal in Vovinam event, Ma Khin Hnin Wai, Ma Phyu Phyu Than, and Ma Yamon Zin in Sepak Takraw, Maung Thein Than Oo in Wushu, Ma Aye Aye Aung in Kurash, Maung Ye Tun Naung in bodybuilding and physique competition, Ma Khin Cherry Thet in Petanque, and U Pauk Sa in billiards and snooker.
Then Vice-Senior General presented cash prizes to Maung Myint Ko Ko, Maung Htet Wai Lwin, Maung Saw Moe Aung, Maung Tun Min Thant and Maung Aung Myo Thu who won silver in coxed four rowing event, U Pauk Sa and Maung Min Si Thu in billiards and snooker, Maung Ye Tun Naung and Ma Chit Soe Nwe in shooting, and Ma Sandi Oo and Ma Su Hlaing Win in Wushu.
Members of SAC Gen Mya Tun Oo, Gen Tin Aung San, Man Nyein Maung, Daw Aye Nu Sein, Jang Phange Naw Taung, U Maung Ha, U Sai Lon Hsaing, Saw Daniel, Dr Banyar Aung Moe, Lt-Gen Soe Htut and U Shwe Kyein, Joint-Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, union ministers, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy), the Commander-in-Chief(Air) and senior military officers presented cash prizes to athletes who won silver and bronze in Vovinam, Wushu, bodybuilding, Kurash, billiards and snooker, Sepak Takraw, Petanque, judo, boxing, international rowing, archery, and weightlifting, coaches and managers.
On behalf of the prize awarded athletes, Ma May Honey Aung Lwin, who won one gold and one silver in Vovinam, expressed words of thanks for the prizes.
Later, the Senior General and party hosted a tea reception in honour of the athletes, who brought honour to the State and coaches.
Recognizing the efforts of athletes who underwent training desperately, officials frequently visited and encouraged the athletes and presented Ks-200,000 and USD-200 each to them, Ks-100,000 and USD-100 each to the coaches to boost their morale at the ceremony to hand the State flag to ensure success before the games. During the games, gold medal winners in single events were awarded USD-3,000 each as additional cash prizes, silver medal winners USD-2,000 each, bronze medal winners USD-1,000 each.
For the gold medal winning team, USD-1,000 was awarded to each athlete, USD-750 each athlete in the silver winning team, and USD-500 in bronze winning team. Furthermore, the Myanmar women’s football team, who advanced to the semi-final of the women’s football event, was awarded USD-100,000.